Strawberry Fritters with Chocolate Sauce

This is my own take on beignets, a classic French dessert recipe. I take fresh strawberries, coat them with batter, then fry them, beignet-style. These strawberry fritters make my mouth water, they are so good. I love the combination of airy, crisp pastry, with lightly cooked fresh strawberries, and rich chocolate sauce.

Original recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups hulled strawberries

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for dusting

PREP

25 mins
COOK

20 mins
READY IN

45 mins

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup cream, eggs, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the strawberries to the batter and fold gently to coat.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Meanwhile, make the chocolate sauce by combining the chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup cream in a microwave-safe dish. Place in the microwave and cook on medium-high heat stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate chips are melted and the chocolate sauce is smooth. Set the dish on a kitchen towel and cover to keep warm.
Working in batches, carefully drop the batter-coated strawberries into the hot oil. Fry until the batter is golden brown, flipping the strawberries to brown both sides evenly. Remove the cooked strawberry fritters and place on paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce to serve. Serve remaining chocolate sauce on the side.