Banana Fritters with Caramel and Cream
Published September 1, 2018
With the long Labor Day weekend, my goal was to make donuts.
As I did my research, I saw several recipes called for yeast, which added time to the baking process. So I decided to make the closest recipe to donuts: fritters!
Fritter's History
Nearly every country has their version of a fritter.
By definition, fritters are anything fried in batter. They include sweet or savory versions that may include fried meats or vegetables.
In the U.S. fritters are normally sweet, icing coated treats. Though you may also think of savory fritter appetizers that use ham, cheddar, bacon, or chives.
Across other countries, you’ll find similar fritter variations. The French have beignets. The Japanese fry seafood and veggies using tempura batter. In India, they have pakora (vegetables like onion, spinach, eggplant that are battered and fried).
There are many recipes which label themselves as fritters!
My Fritter Creation
I've had several types of fritters before. The classic that comes to mind is apple fritters.
However, for my fritter recipe, I wanted to make sure that they weren't dense. I decided to substitute apples for bananas. You can substitute your fruit preference in this recipe.
To ensure that these fritters were warm and delicious like donuts, but light and fluffy, I decided to pair them with caramel and cream.
I've never made homemade whipped cream or caramel before. But I've watched enough Chopped to see how it's done.
My logic was that the caramel would add the sweetness to the dough, while the whipped cream would add a light, refreshing element.
Banana Fritter Instructions
I was nervous about making my own caramel sauce and whipped cream. I knew that the worst thing would be to burn the sauce. If you add the caramel to your fritters, make sure to stir as it boils to prevent burning.
At first, when I removed my caramel from the stove, I thought it wasn't done. I didn't want to risk burning it, so I left it as is. However, as it sat on the counter, it did thicken into the classic caramel sundae sauce you would expect.
As for the whipping cream, the key is to make sure all of your ingredients are cold. I read that you could even put the whisks into the freezer before using.
In my preparation, I read that you can over-beat whipping cream. I did not have this problem and I did stand for a while waiting for the cream to thicken.
I needed both hands to hold the bowl and the mixer, which is why you don't have video for this part (sorry!). If you can't tell if the cream is thick enough, use a spoon and test it. See if the texture matches everyday container whipped cream or not (and whether you should continue mixing).
My Overall Thoughts
The Fritters
My hard work paid off! The fritters had great texture. The outside was golden and crisp and reminded me of funnel cakes. The interior batter tasted almost like banana bread but had a beignet texture.
In total, my recipe made 8-10 larger fritters and some randomly shaped fried pieces of dough (like funnel cake). There were enough fritters for each of us to have two.
The Caramel Sauce
While I was pumped about the fritters turning out so well, I loved the caramel sauce. Not only cause I can eat caramel like soup, but because it had such a rich flavor. The sauce added depth to this simple fritter.
The Whipped Cream
The final product of my whipped cream reminded me of a smoother version of the clotted cream that you get with High Tea.
The cold whipped cream cut through the sweet caramel and any of the richness from the fried batter. If you don't like whipped cream, a jam or preserve would also work well with these fritters.
Overall, I think this is one of my favorite recipes. I had a vision in mind and was happy that the creativity I took with the steps and ingredients paid off! My family and neighbors loved the fritters as well, so I would say overall they're a hit.
K. Martinelli Makes Banana Fritters with Caramel and Cream
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