yeasted grated apple fritter on a plate
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To make Fritters

To make Fritters is a traditional Stuart recipe for a classic dessert-style dish or snack of apple fritters cooked in a yeasted flour, sack and ale batter fried in beef suet. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Stuart version of: To make Fritters.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

12–15

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Egg RecipesDessert RecipesBritish Recipes

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Original Recipe



To make Fritters (from W.M.'s Compleat Cook 1658)

To make Fritters.

Take halfe a pint of Sack, a pint of Ale, some Ale-yeast, nine Eggs, yolks and whites, beat them very well, the Egg first, then altogether, put in some Ginger, and Salt, and fine flower, then let it stand an houre or two; then shred in the Apples; when you are ready to fry them, your suet must be all Beef-suet, or halfe Beef, and halfe Hoggs-suet tryed out of the leafe.


Modern Redaction



This recipe calls for 'sack'. There are two types of sack. English sack, mead flavoured with herbs [see recipes for English Sack and Saratoga Wine] or a sweetened fortified wine from Spain, similar to modern-day Madeira. Most Elizabethan recipes calling for 'sack' meant English sack, but the Stuart recipes typically meant the fortified wine. This is not directly available today, but it can be replaced by dry Madeira or sherry sweetened with a little honey and flavoured with a splash of Vermouth to give it a herby and aromatic note.

Ingredients:

500ml sack
250ml ale
1/2 packet active, dried, yeast
9 eggs
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt, to taste
300g plain flour
2 cooking apples, peeled coarsely grated
beef suet for frying

Method:

Whisk together the sack, ale and eggs in a bowl, then work in the ginger, salt and flour until smooth. Scatter over the yeast and stir to combine. Cover with a cloth and put aside in a warm place for about 60 minutes, or until risen.

Now grate the apples and stir into the batter.

Melt suet to a depth of 1cm in a large frying pan. When the suet is hot, add the apple batter using a large serving spoon. Fry the fritters for about 2 minutes then turn over and fry until golden brown on the other side.

Serve the first batch of fritters (garnish with a little sugar) as you cook the next batch.

Find more Compleat Cook Recipes Here and more Traditional Stuart Recipes Here.