COOK with Elizabeth

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28475, 3 January 1958, Page 2

COOK with Elizabeth

Beignets Noel

A blending of English tradition and French cuisine gives this delightful and novel sweet to make while you still have a jar of Christmas mincemeat in the cupboard. They call for some rice paper, either in the form of cupcake cases, or in sheet form, whichever is available. Mincemeat is enclosed in little envelopes of rice paper, sealed with water, dipped in a light batter and fried in deep fat. Dust them with sugar and serve them hot and well drained.

Beignets Noel: Mincemeat, rice paper cases or sheet, 4oz flour. \ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon melted butter or cooking oil, 2 egg whites, about half a cup of luke-warm water.

Sift 4oz flour and half a teaspoon of salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil or melted' butter and 1 cup of lukewarm water. S£jr in the flour and beat well, then beat m sufficient extra lukewarm water to make of coating consistency, like very thick cream. Stand until required, then just before using fold in completely but lightly two well whisked egg whites. If using rice paper patty cases, put a little mincemeat in the bottom of each. With a knife cut down almost to the bottom round the case at half inch intervals. Run a little cold water round the inner edge of the case and fold the pieces over in turn to enclose the mincemeat, pressing firmly to seal.

If using sheet paper, cut in small circles, moisten the edges, lay mincemeat on one circle and press a second down all round the edge to seal. Dip the envelopes in the fritter batter and drop into deep very hot fat. Lift out and drain on absorbent paper. Dust with sugar and serve hot.