French Batter is a traditional British recipe, based on Eliza Acton's recipe of 1845, for a classic Victorian French-style batter of flour, water and butter into which beaten egg whites are folded that's used for dipping vegetables or fruit prior to deep frying. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: French Batter.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Eliza Acton's 1845 volume Modern Cookery, the first classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
FRENCH BATTER.
(For frying vegetables, and for apple, peach, or orange fritters.)
Cut a couple of ounces of good butter into small bits, pour on it less than a quarter of a pint of boiling water, and when it is dissolved add three quarters of a pint of cold water, so that the whole shall not be quite milk warm; mix it then by degrees and very smoothly with twelve ounces of fine dry flour and a small pinch of salt if the batter be for fruit fritters, but with more if for meat or vegetables. Just before it is used, stir into it the whites of two eggs beaten to a solid froth; but previously to this, add a little water should it appear too thick, as some flour requires more liquid than other to bring it to the proper consistence; this is an exceedingly light crisp batter, excellent for the purposes for which it is named.
Butter, 2 oz.; water, from 3/4 to nearly 1 pint; little salt; flour, 3/4 lb.; whites of 2 eggs, beaten to snow.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
60g butter
125ml boiling water
375ml cold water
350g plain flour
pinch of salt
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
Method:
Chop the butter, place into a bowl then pour over the boiling water and stir until the butter is melted. Now stir in the cold water (the final mixture should be lukewarm).
Sift the flour into a second bowl then gradually work in the butter and water mix, beating them together a little at a time until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. The final mixture should have the consistency of thick cream. If too thick add a little cold water.
Just before use, beat the egg whites until thick and work into the batter. Dip your vegetables or fruit into this, drop into hot oil and deep fry.
