Asian Pear Fritters Recipe

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We're loving award-winning cookbook author Jenny McCoy's new dessert cookbook, Desserts For Every Season, which highlights the sweeter sides of seasonal fruit. When a famed pastry chef develops recipes for some of the nation's top restaurants, we're going to need her cookbook. First up, simple Asian pear fritters you can dress up however you like (but we're going straight for the vanilla ice cream).

When creating this recipe, I knew I wanted something light and crisp, so I used a classic tempura-style beer batter to achieve that result. It pairs nicely with fragrant roasted Asian pears and cinnamon-sugar.

Reprinted with permission from Jenny McCoy's Desserts for Every Season

Asian Pear Fritters Recipe
No Ratings
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
8
to 10
Ingredients
  • 6 Asian pears
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • canola oil for frying
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (preferably a lager or pilsner)
Directions
  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, gently toss the pear rings with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt, until coated. Lay the slices of pear in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes. Flip the slices over and continue to roast until the pears are just tender, 6 to 8 more minutes. Place the pears in the refrigerator to cool to room temperature.
  3. Line a baking sheet or large platter with paper towels. Toss the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a medium bowl and set aside. Fill a large skillet about 2 inches deep with oil. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and cornstarch together. Slowly add the beer, whisking constantly, and mix until perfectly smooth. Dip 6 pear slices in the batter, taking care to completely coat each slice, and quickly drop them into the hot oil. Fry until crisp and light golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the slices with chopsticks or a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining pear slices. While warm, toss the slices in the cinnamon-sugar and serve immediately. Discard any remaining batter.
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