UGH!!!

How do you eat yours? Chip shop owner serves up Crème Eggs... deep fried
By Paul Sims
Last updated at 6:24 PM on 10th April 2011

It has always been sold in its famous red, yellow and blue foil wrapper. But after the battered Mars Bar meet the deep-fried crème egg.

And it’s here just in time for Easter – that is, if you can stomach the look of it.

Containing 350 calories the battered egg is the creation of chip shop owner Martyn Bilby.


Calorific: The deep fried Creme Eggs have been created strictly as an Easter treat

The self-styled Heston Blumenthal of deep-fat frying came up with the idea after selling deep-fried mince pies at Christmas.

‘I will try anything,’ he said yesterday. ‘Quite a few people have tried them already.

‘The idea is to eat it quickly while the batter is still hot, and before the chocolate inside begins to melt.

‘If you let them go cold it can get a bit soggy in the middle. I'm not saying they are healthy, but it is something for a treat.

‘There are a lot of foods where if you eat too much of them it is bad for you, but I see these as just a treat for Easter.’

Mr Bilby, from Donaster, South Yorkshire, plans to donate all the proceeds from his latest invention to charity.

And despite the look – and possibly, the taste - he says customers buying them so far have been of all ages.

‘People turn their noses up at first,’ he said. ‘But once they try them they eat their words and agree that they are really tasty.

‘It is effectively putting something like a doughnut shell around the egg.’

But perhaps unsurprisingly, some local people are not persuaded by the thought of a deep-fat fried crème egg – even if the proceeds are going to charity.

David Goodwin, 64, a tax inspector said: ‘I wouldn't have one given to me - and certainly wouldn't pay for one.

‘It doesn't appeal at all. I'm not into unusual food, though I did once try tripe. I didn't like that either.’

There are, however, always students.

One of them, Karl Smallwood, 20, said: ‘I once tried a deep fried Mars bar and some deep fried pizza. And I have to say it was strangely satisfying.’

Another, Alex Bennell, 20, said: ‘It doesn't sound ideal when you have a pending obesity pandemic but, hey, why not?’

Claire Lawson, 20, also a student, said: ‘I try to eat healthily but can’t always afford it.

‘So if someone offered me a free deep fried crème egg I'd go for it. Don't know whether I could eat two though.’

While filled eggs were first manufactured by the Cadbury Brothers in 1923, the Creme Egg in its current form was introduced in 1971.

The egg consists of a thick milk chocolate shell, housing a white and yellow fondant filling made from egg, thick white cream, sugars and other additives.

Creme Eggs are the best-selling confectionery item between New Year's Day and Easter in the UK with annual sales in excess of 200 million items and a brand value of approximately £45 million.

The eggs are manufactured at the Bournville factory in Birmingham at the rate of 1.5 million per day.