Plain batter is a mixture of flour and water, or flour and milk, made about as thick as double cream, into which meat, fish, fruit, etc., is dipped and then plunged into very hot fat, which instantly hardens the batter, which forms a case round whatever has been dipped in it.

Simple as the process is of frying in batter, inexperienced persons often fail, simply because they do not give due and proper attention to the following points, absolutely essential to success: -

1st. The batter must be smooth.

2nd. The batter must be thick.

3rd. The fat must be very hot.

In order to ensure the first point, you had better make your batter in a small thick basin. Let the flour be dry and sifted, then place the flour in the basin, add the water or milk gradually, and work it with a wooden spoon against the sides of the basin, and smooth it as if you were spreading a plaster. You must have sufficient patience to get it perfectly smooth - no lumps whatever.

Next, with regard to thickness: if "double cream" does not convey the idea, remember the batter must be thick enough to cling to whatever is dipped into it, and not so thin that it will run off. For instance, if you dip your finger in proper batter, and take your finger out and hold it down to drain off, yet after your finger has drained, it should be perfectly white and covered, and you should not be able to see the colour of the flesh through the batter.

With regard to the third point, probably the one on which most fail (see No 6.), I cannot too often impress upon your minds the importance of having the fat sufficiently hot. I really don't think I exaggerate when I say that, probably, ninety-nine cooks out of a hundred, whose wages are £20 a year, fail in this one respect.

Very first-class batter is made by adding half a pint of water to sufficient flour to make it the required thickness, and then working in the yolk of an egg. Shortly before the batter is used, the white of the egg is beaten to a stiff froth with a whisk and added also.

Good ordinary batter can, however, be made with plain flour and water, or flour and milk. In every case add a pinch of salt, for half a pint of water half a saltspoonful.

Whenever you fry anything in batter, let it be as dry as possible. Fish or meat should be floured first.

Baked Batter Pudding

Take about six ounces of flour and place it in a basin, with just enough milk to moisten it. Next, boil a pint of milk separately, and gradually add the milk to the wet flour, and stir the whole time and work it smooth. Add also a pinch of salt; then beat up two, three, or four eggs according as you wish to have the pudding good, and whisk them thoroughly together. (See No. 15.) Then add these to the batter and mix. The success of the pudding will depend upon mixing thoroughly. Pour this mixture into a buttered dish or tin, and bake in an oven till done. Time, probably from forty to fifty minutes.

Boiled Batter Pudding

Proceed as above, and pour the mixture into a well-buttered basin, tie the basin up in a cloth, and boil for rather more than an hour and a half. Be sure the pudding is plunged into boiling water. (See No. 24.) It is as well to make the basin hot first, then place a little piece of butter in it and move it about, so as to butter the basin. The sooner the pudding boils the better, as the flour has a tendency to settle. In every case of using milk for puddings, it is always best to boil the milk separately. Sweet sauce is a great improvement to Batter Pudding. (See Sweet Sauce).