SERVES 2

2 Granny Smith apples

60g egg white

1 pinch salt

60g (½ cup) cornflour

2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying

100g caster sugar

Peel the apples and cut into quarters. Remove the core and cut each quarter in two lengthways to get 8 pieces (if your apples are big, cut them in 12). Then cut each piece across into 3 smaller pieces.

In a bowl, mix the egg white, salt and cornflour until a smooth, runny mixture is obtained, then add the 2 teaspoons of oil and mix to combine.

Fill a medium saucepan with the extra oil to a depth of 5-6cm, place over a medium heat and bring to 160°C. Place the apple in the egg white mixture, then using a spoon carefully place in the oil, cook in batches, approx 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Dissolve the sugar in 80mls (⅓ cup) water in a small saucepan or wok over medium heat. Allow to simmer gently until a syrup forms but before it caramelises (at this stage, the syrup should crystallise and break easily once cooled).

Add all the fried apple pieces to the wok or pan, then stir to coat each piece with the syrup.

Serve immediately in a bowl, accompanied by a small bowl of iced water. Dip the fried caramelised pieces in iced water to set the caramel and enjoy.

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