A thin batter for English pancakes

Batter is a liquid mixture, usually based on one or more flours combined with liquids such as water, milk or beer. Egg is a common component. Often a leavening agent is included to aerate and fluff up the batter as it cooks, or the mixture may be naturally fermented for this purpose as well as to add flavour.

The viscosity of batter may range from very "stiff" (adhering to an upturned spoon) to "thin" (similar to single cream, enough to pour or drop from a spoon and sometimes called "drop batter"). Heat is applied to the batter, usually by frying, baking or steaming, in order to cook the ingredients and to "set" the batter into a solid form. Batters may be sweet or savoury, often with either sugar or salt being added (sometimes both). Many other flavourings such as herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables may be added to the mixture.

The word batter comes from the old French word battre which means to beat ^[1], as many batters require vigorous beating or whisking in their preparation.

[edit] Usage

Batters may be used to make crepes, dosais, idlis, vadais, Yorkshire pudding, fritters, doughnuts, hushpuppies, tempura, cakes, breads, to coat meat or vegetables when frying, or to make pancake, waffles or cookies.

Batter is used in some parts of the world to coat fish before frying. Batter makes up a critical component of the British dish fish and chips for instance.

Beer can be used to batter foods. Often, the purpose of battering foods with beer is for the bubbles in the beer to make the batter lighter. The concept of beer battering is popular in America, Europe, Russia, and the Middle-East. When foods are beer battered and fried (fish, chips, onion rings), the heat generated by the frying process evaporates most of the alcohol.^[3][4]

[edit] See also

• Dough
• Breading

[edit] References

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