Rosettes

A thin pour batter fried on a decorative iron. Everything depends on the iron being hot enough to set the batter on contact, so the shape releases cleanly into the fat.

• The hinge: heat the iron in the fat, not beside itLet the iron sit in the hot fat for a minute or two before each dip, then blot the excess on a towel so it is hot but not dripping. A cool iron makes the batter slide off; a wet one makes it refuse to stick at all.
• Dip depthLower the iron only about three-quarters of the way up its sides. If the batter runs over the top the rosette will lock onto the iron and tear when you try to release it.
• Fat temperatureThe original says only "hot fat." Hold it at 365-375F. Below that the rosettes drink oil and go limp; above 385F they brown before the interior sets.
• Batter consistencyThe original says only "flour enough to make a batter like that used for griddle cakes," and for rosettes that is better read as the thin end of that description: it should pour freely off the iron rather than cling in a heap. Add the flour gradually, strain out lumps, and let the batter rest a few minutes so it flows evenly.
• Frying timeAbout half a minute in the fat is usually enough. Rosettes are done when pale gold and crisp; they darken slightly on the rack.
• Sugar in the batterOnly two tablespoons to a pint of milk, so the batter itself is barely sweet; the recipe supplies the sweetness in the jelly and cream. If you serve them plain, dust with confectioners' sugar while still warm.
• DrainingSlide each rosette off the iron onto a rack set over paper, hollow side down. Stacking them while warm traps steam and softens the shell within minutes.
• Yield and timingA pint of milk makes a large quantity of batter -- several dozen rosettes, depending on the size of the iron. Fill and garnish immediately before serving; currant jelly and whipped cream soften the shells quickly.