Ingredients:

  • 16-20 preserved prunes
  • 125 ml (4.2 fl oz) water
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 65 ml (2.2 fl oz) cherry brandy
  • 1 piece lemon peel, no pith 16-20 blanched almonds
  • icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons candied mixed peel oil for cooking
  • 1 tablespoon cherry jam

Batter:

  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (20 g) butter, melted
  • 1 extra egg, separated
  • 250 ml (8.5 fl oz) white wine

Procedure:

  1. For the batter: In a warm bowl, sift the flour and salt then add sugar.
  2. Beat whole egg and egg yolk together, then add to the flour, with butter, and stir briskly until blended.
  3. Stir in half the wine gradually until mixture is like very thick cream then start beating and adding the remaining wine.
  4. Batter should coat a spoon like thick cream.
  5. Set the bowl aside to rest for an hour.
  6. Beat the remaining egg white until stiff and fold into the batter.
  7. Simmer the prunes in a pan with cinnamon, cherry, water brandy and lemon peel for 12-15 minutes until plump, then set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
  8. Lift out and drain prunes, but reserve marinade. Stuff each prune with an almond.
  9. Dip into batter and cook in deep hot oil until golden.
  10. Drain then roll in icing sugar and keep warm.
  11. Add cherry jam to marinade, bring to the boil, stirring, and cook until syrupy.
  12. Serve fritters topped with cherry brandy syrup.