Toffee Apples & Bananas
Submitted by lpirkey
Chinese toffee-coated apples and bananas with crispy batter and caramel sesame coating. Deep-fried fruit dunked in ice water creates a shatteringly crisp candy shell.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThis Chinese dessert is pure theater at the table.
Firm apples and bananas get double-fried in a light batter until golden, then tossed in hot caramel spiked with toasted sesame seeds. The magic happens when you plunge each piece into ice water, the caramel hardens instantly into a glass-like shell that shatters when you bite into the warm, tender fruit inside.
It’s a study in contrasts: crispy versus soft, hot versus cold, sweet versus the subtle nuttiness of sesame. Serve it immediately while the caramel is still crackling, and watch everyone fight over the last piece.
Chef Tips
- Use firm, slightly underripe fruit so it holds up during double frying without turning mushy
- The double-fry technique is key: first fry cooks the fruit, second fry crisps the batter
- Watch the caramel like a hawk (it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds)
- Have your ice water bath ready before you start the caramel or you’ll end up with sticky fruit instead of crispy candy
- Work in small batches when dipping in ice water to prevent pieces from sticking together
Variations
- Tropical Twist: Use pineapple chunks and mango instead of apples and bananas
- Spiced Caramel: Add ¼ tsp five-spice powder to the caramel for warmth
- Black Sesame: Swap white sesame seeds for black sesame for nutty depth and dramatic color
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and core the apples and cut each into 8 large wedges.
Peel the bananas and cut them into 1½-inch chunks.
Combine the flour, cornstarch, egg and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a small bowl.
Mix them well to form a smooth, very thick batter.
Combine the peanut oil and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a deep fat fryer or wok and heat the mixture until it is moderately hot.
Put the fruit into the batter mixture.
Then lift out several pieces of fruit at a time, using a slotted spoon, and drain off any excess batter.
Deep-fry for about 2 minutes, until they are golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Repeat the process until you have deep-fried all the fruit.
Just before serving, prepare a bowl of ice water filled with ice cubes.
Reheat the oil over moderate heat and deep-fry the fruit a second time for about 2 minutes.
Drain again on paper towels.
Put the sugar, sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of oil from the deep-frying oil into a pot.
Heat the mixture until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize.
(Watch the heat to prevent it from burning.)
When the caramel is light brown, add the fruit sections.
Stir them gently in the caramel syrup to coat them.
Then take them out and put them into the ice water to harden.
Do a few at a time to prevent them from sticking together.
Remove them from the water and place on a serving platter.
Serve at once.
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