Deep Fried Butter

Paula Deen is one of my guilty pleasures.

There! I've said it. I guiltily tune in to her show on TV to watch as she creates Southern-style dish or other that almost always has butter or cream or both. And don't get me started on all that deep frying and all that sugar!

Some classic Paula meals? A brunch burger that comprises a hamburger patty, sliced bacon and a fried egg in between two halves of a GLAZED DOUGHNUT! And there's the deep-fried cheesy lasagna. Oh! Wait... there's more: A cheesecake WITH white chocolate that's wrapped in a pastry that is coated with egg and DEEP FRIED! The fried cake is then dusted with powdered sugar! Holy smokes. I may need to catch my breath after that one.

As flabbergasted as I sometimes am at her artery-clogging, full fat recipes, they do sound really appetising. Well, maybe not the cheesecake ... that just sounds scary. But often, I find myself wanting to reach through my TV screen to just grab a taste of what she's served up. Her lemon linguini with butter, sour cream and cheese, for example, just sounds too good. As does her three-cheese artichoke dip.

There was one recipe in particular that I've wanted to try for a very long time. I actually first saw it on a programme on the food channel about the food that come out of state food fairs in the United States. Of all the deep-fried concoctions, one stood out: deep fried butter. A stick of frozen butter was impaled on a stick, coated with batter and deep fried.

What? My head was spinning at the idea of deep fried butter.

Then I saw it on Paula's show. Her way is slightly different. She mixes softened butter with some cream cheese, freezes the mix and then deep fries it.

I had to make it. I was curious. I just had to try it.

Of course it tastes great. Of course I was tortured with guilt at every bite but it was just so good. (I rationalised that if I only ate two pieces, it's about the same as eating a piece of toast with lots of butter! He he he.)

So here it is. A sometimes snack which I vow to make sparingly. Just so good!

Deep Fried Butter Balls
125 gm butter, softened
50g cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chilli flakes
For coating
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
2 cups bread crumbs

Mix the softened butter, cheese and parsley together till well incorporated. Spoon the mixture into balls and freeze for at least 30 mins or until hard.

Coat the frozen butter balls: roll them first in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Work swiftly so the butter doesn't get too soft. Repeat.

Freeze the coated balls again for at least 30 mins or until hard.

Heat some oil in a pan (enough to submerge the balls). When the oil is hot (about 180C), drop the balls in and fry till golden, about 15-20 seconds. Remove onto paper towels and serve. Some butter may leak out but if the balls are well coated, this should be minimal.

Enjoy!