Air Fryer Recipe
Haggis Bon Bons
Haggis bon bons give the classic Scottish favourite a neat modern twist, ideal for the air fryer and just right as a snack or appetiser.
Ingredients
- 200g haggis
- 100g mashed potatoes
- 50g plain flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 100g breadcrumbs
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- Cooking spray or a little oil for the air fryer
Method
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Crumble the haggis into a bowl and mix it with the mashed potatoes until everything is well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Shape the mixture into small balls, roughly the size of a golf ball.
- Set up your breading station: put the flour on one plate, the beaten egg in a bowl, and the breadcrumbs on another plate.
- Roll each haggis ball in the flour first, then dip it into the egg, and finally roll it through the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- Place the coated balls in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Spray lightly with cooking spray or brush with a little oil.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, turning halfway through cooking.
- Remove them from the air fryer and leave to cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
The mashed potato dilutes the rich haggis and binds the crumbly filling, while flour gives the egg something dry to grip. A light oil film helps the breadcrumbs conduct heat in the air fryer’s fast convection, so the coating browns before the already-cooked haggis centre dries out.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–6 litre basket holding the bon bons in one loose layer with 1–2cm gaps; in a single-drawer air fryer cook in batches rather than stacking, while in a dual-zone model use the upper/hotter-positioned side if your machine has uneven browning and expect the cooler drawer to need 1–2 minutes longer.
Common pitfalls
- Coating sliding off after cooking? The haggis-potato balls were too damp or warm; chill them for 15–20 minutes and make sure the flour layer is thin but complete before egging.
- Pale, dry breadcrumbs at minute 10? There is not enough surface fat for browning; mist or brush with a little more oil and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Bon bons splitting or leaking haggis fat? They are either too large or the temperature is too aggressive; make smaller golf-ball portions and drop to 170°C for the remaining time.
- Patchy browning on one side? The basket is crowded or the balls were not turned cleanly; leave visible gaps and roll them over halfway rather than just shaking the drawer.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of standard breadcrumbs for a rougher, crunchier shell, but spray a little more thoroughly because the larger flakes brown less evenly when dry.
- Swap some mashed potato for mashed neeps for a sweeter Burns Night-style filling; the mixture will be softer, so chilling before breading becomes more important.
- Use vegetarian haggis in the same quantity; it is usually drier and less fatty, so the coating may need a more generous oil mist to colour well.
- Add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard or a pinch of cayenne to the mash mixture; it will not change the timing, but keep added wet condiments modest so the balls still hold their shape.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked bon bons chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes until hot through and crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
