Step 1

Place the ricotta, goat's cheese, lemon zest, chopped mint (or basil), egg yolks, salt and pepper into a bowl.

Step 2

Mix to combine.

Step 3

Gently open up each flower and remove the stamen. Stuff with the cheese mixture, 1 to 2 heaped teaspoons per each flower. Close the flower, twisting the ends of the petals to seal. Place in a tray and refrigerate while you prepare the batter.Note: Weight represents baby zucchini with flowers attached to them. If you only use flowers, they will weigh less.

Step 4

To prepare the batter, whisk the egg, whey protein powder and baking powder together in a wide bowl.

Step 5

Gradually pour in the cold water, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth batter. Start with 1/3 cup cold water (80 ml) and if too thick, add 1 to 3 more tablespoons. Set aside.

Step 6

Heat a deep-fryer to 180 °C/ 360 °F filled with 3 cups of oil. If you don’t have a deep-fryer, use a small deep saucepan and use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. (Note: I only included a small part of the oil in the nutrition facts as most will be discarded. Avocado oil, ghee, goose fat or duck fat work best.)

Step 7

Working in batches, dip the flowers in the prepared batter and fry for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to carefully flip them and fry for another 2 minutes until crisp and lightly golden.

Step 8

Drain on a piece of paper towel and leave in a warm place while you fry the rest. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. (You can use the oven preheated to 50 °C/ 120 °F).

Step 9

Optionally, serve with any salads and lemon wedges. It's best served warm but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving. Serve 1 to 2 flowers as an appetizer or 4 flowers as a main dish.