Bananas

• Deep-fried bananas have one of the longest pedigrees of any deep-fried fruit. They were a traditional dessert in Asian restaurants long before the current vogue for deep frying. Like other deep-fried fruit, deep-fried bananas are usually covered in batter, then dusted with icing sugar. Sesame seeds are a common addition to the batter. The crunch of the batter provides a pleasant contrast to the soft texture of the banana underneath, making the deep-fried banana a great dessert that's sweet, but not overwhelming.

Apples

• Deep-fried apples are another fairground staple. Rather than being served up whole, apples are usually cored and then sliced into rings before being battered and fried. The resulting rings are firm and crunchy with a contrasting moist center. Alternatively, small slivers of apple can be deep fried without batter to create crispy fried apple chips. These are a great light snack.

Peaches and Nectarines

• Like apples, peaches and nectarines are usually pitted and cut up into slices before being deep fried. Speed is of the essence when cooking these sweet, juicy fruits in order to preserve their texture and moisture. After frying, sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar to add a sweet, spicy contrast to the fruit flavor.

Mixing it Up

• Each type of fruit that can be deep-fried has its own special qualities in terms of flavor and texture. For an extra taste of variety, try mixing chunks of different fruit, such as pineapples, apples, bananas or even kiwi to provide different flavors. Skewer the different fruits together before frying them and then dust them with icing sugar. The possibilities are endless and cooks are constantly experimenting with new concepts.