Apple Fritters

It's my favorite season - Apple season! Apples are my favorite food in the world and I love how many different varieties are available this time of year - Jonagold, Empire, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Mutsu, Ginger Gold, Zestar, Rome, Cortland, Macintosh, and many, many more! The local apples as well as all the varieties filling the store shelves from New York are taking over my countertop since I can't stop buying them! Thankfully, the kids are just as crazy about apples as I am and are gladly eating 2-3 apiece each day.

In honor of apple season, I am about to bombard you, dear reader, with some pretty tempting apple-themed desserts. Let's start with Apple Fritters.

Did you know you can make delicious apple fritters that taste better than ones you can buy at any donut shop in under 30 minutes? I certainly didn't until I spied this recipe in a past issue of Cook's Country and was surprised to see how simple the process really is. I just thought it would be more complicated, for some reason. I really, REALLY hate frying food but some foods are worth all that extra effort and these were probably the easiest fried delicacies to ever come out of my kitchen.

The kids were fascinated with the process. When I told them what we were making, their eyes got really big and they whispered among themselves in disbelief, "Mom is going to make donuts? Can she really make donuts if she doesn't work at Krispy Kreme?" Seeing their faces as I went about making the fritters, you would have thought they were watching a magician at work. They watched eagerly as I mixed up the batter, heated up the oil, and dropped portion after portion of the sweet apple and cinnamon mixture into the hot oil where it bubbled and simmered until golden brown. Wen I pulled the first finished fritter (wow, alliteration?) out of the pot, they cheered, "Wow! Look what Mom made!" They were mesmerized as I whipped up the glaze and poured a generous amount on each warm fritter and practically drooled as they watched it pool over the sides and drip onto the baking sheet. Emma, Lucy and Peyton were given the arduous task of eating the leftover glaze that had spilled onto the drip tray.

In the end, these were some of the best fritters I have ever tasted. Eating one warm and fresh was an almost transcendental experience. I have never been the biggest fan of donuts, but I found these pretty near irresistible. I'm already thinking that we are going to have to make these again as an easy Sunday morning treat after Mass. I still can't get over how easy they are to make.

Apple Fritters
adapted from Cook's Country

For the Fritters:
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used Ginger Golds)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup apple cider
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying

For the Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Spread prepared apples in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. This is important to ensure that the residual moisture on the apple pieces not make the fritters soggy.

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk the cider, eggs, melted butter and vanilla in a medium bowl until combined. Stir the apples into the flour mixture. Stir in the cider mixture until incorporated.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Using a 1/3 cup measurement or a large spoon, transfer heaping portion of the batter to the oil. Press the batter lightly with the back of a spoon to flatten. Fry, adjusting the burner as necessary to maintain the oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees, until deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Bring oil back to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining batter. Let fritters cool 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until smooth. Top each fritter with a heaping tablespoon of glaze. Let glaze set 10 minutes. Serve!