Origin: Scotland
Type: Dessert
Main Flavours: Sweet, chocolate, caramel
About Scottish Deep Fried Mars Bars
The deep-fried Mars Bar is an iconic Scottish delicacy. Originating in chip shops (chippies) in Scotland, this dessert features a classic Mars Bar coated in batter and deep-fried to perfection. The result is a crispy, warm exterior encasing a gooey, melted chocolate and caramel centre. Though it’s considered a novelty treat, the deep-fried Mars Bar has gained international fame and is now a must-try when visiting Scotland.
The deep-fried Mars Bar was reportedly invented in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire in the 1990s. It quickly became a symbol of Scottish chip shop cuisine and has been featured in numerous culinary discussions and media.
What Zsófi Says About Deep Fried Mars Bars
Let us set our minds back to the mid-90s and transport ourselves to the northeastern Scottish town of Stonehaven. In front of us stands the Haven Chip Bar (now The Carron), the site of this historic event, where two Scotsmen’s banter led to the culinary dare to batter and deep-fry a Mars bar and the chippy obliged. To everybody’s surprise, it turned out to be a great success.
News spread quickly about this new delicacy which slowly gained popularity among the locals and worldwide. Now, every summer, tourists flood The Carron which the Edinburgh News has reported to sell at least 200 deep-fried Mars bars every summer – and that’s just one chippy! Mars Inc has curiously refused to endorse the frying of their chocolate bars – a glaring mistake, really. However, I wouldn’t let that discourage me.
I myself have tried a Deep-Fried Mars Bar in an Edinburgh chippy in Grassmarket and well, besides the fact that it was fried in the same oil as the fish and the chips, so the batter had an obvious fish taste which I could have done without, the wonderful melted chocolate paired with the savoury (a little fishy) taste was surprisingly delicious!
Read Zsófi’s full article on deep fried Scottish food here.
How to Make a Deep Fried Mars Bar at Home
You don’t need a deep fryer to enjoy a deep-fried Mars Bar at home. Follow these simple steps to recreate this treat in your own kitchen:
What You’ll Need
1 Mars Bar
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 cup of milk
1 egg
Vegetable oil for frying
Kitchen roll or absorbent paper
Deep Fried Mars Bar Instructions
To begin, put the Mars Bar or Mars Bars that you’re going to deep fry in the freezer – this will help it to maintain its shape as you’re preparing it and as it’s frying, too!
Prepare the batter by cracking the egg into a bowl, then slowly adding the flour and milk separately, bit by bit, until it forms a thick batter. Then add the baking powder and salt.
Ideally in a small but deep pan, heat enough oil to cover the mars bar at least half way. (If possible, add enough to cover it all). You can test if the oil is hot enough by adding a drop of batter to the oil. If it sizzles and floats to the top, the oil is hot enough.
Take the Mars Bar(s) out of the freezer and cover them generously in the batter. Place them carefully into the hot oil, then turn them after 1-2 minutes or when they’re starting to turn golden brown.
After they’ve turned golden brown on both sides, take them out of the oil and place them onto the kitchen towel to remove the excess oil.
Don’t eat them straight away – let them cool for a while before serving!