Deep-fried butter

Chefs at one Edinburgh bar are confident their calorie-drenched answer to the deep-fried Mars bar - battered butter balls - will be a real hit with the customers.

Already popular in the US, the dessert has been given a Scottish twist by cooking the balls in Irn Bru batter.

The Fiddler's Elbow is serving the pudding for what is thought to be the first time in Scotland.

Called Braveheart Butter Bombs, the pudding is accompanied with an Irn Bru ice cream and coulis.

The dessert is made by freezing balls of butter before dipping them in batter soaked with Irn Bru.

These are then submerged in bubbling hot oil until browned.

Oliver Scott, who runs The Fiddler's Elbow, said: 'It might not be too nutritious but it's definitely delicious.

'We've been trying it out on volunteers who are loving it. It actually tastes lighter than you'd expect, it's a bit like eating a banana fritter but nicer and obviously a bit naughtier.

'We hope it will help cheer people up in a time of gloom.

Disgusting!