Honey Pear Balls
A traditional Chinese dessert, fresh pear balls are coated with crispy batter and fried, then glazed with glossy honey syrup. Crispy outside, tender inside, sweet but not greasy.
Ingredients
11 items- Asian pear (firm) 500 g
- All-purpose flour 30 g
- Cornstarch 30 g
- Baking powder 2 g
- Salt 1 g
- Water 50 ml
- Oil 10 ml (batter) + for deep frying
- White sugar 50 g
- Honey 20 g
- Toasted white sesame seeds 5 g
- Dried osmanthus flowers 3 g
Nutrition
Steps (7 steps)
Peel 500 g pears, remove cores, use a melon baller to create 2 cm balls. Immediately soak in lightly salted water for 5 minutes to prevent oxidation, then drain well.
In a bowl, mix 30 g flour, 30 g cornstarch, 2 g baking powder, 1 g salt. Add 50 ml water and 10 ml oil, whisk into a smooth batter. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Drain pear balls, coat evenly with a thin layer of dry cornstarch, then dip into batter, ensuring full coverage.
Heat oil in a wok to 160°C (325°F). Fry pear balls in batches over medium-low heat for 3 minutes until pale golden. Remove. Increase oil temperature to 200°C (395°F) and fry again for 1 minute until crispy golden. Drain on paper towels.
In another pan, keep a little oil, add 50 g sugar and 30 ml water. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add 20 g honey, continue cooking until syrup thickens and bubbles become large, color turning light amber.
Immediately add fried pear balls into the syrup, switch to high heat, stir-fry quickly for 10 seconds to coat evenly. Turn off heat.
Plate the pear balls, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and dried osmanthus. Serve immediately for best texture.
Tips
Coating pear balls with dry cornstarch before batter helps adhesion. Double frying ensures extra crispiness. Cook syrup over low heat and stir constantly to avoid burning. Add rose or osmanthus paste for extra aroma.
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