The best way to eat an apple

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away…and this recipe used two apples. So technically, eating half a batch of these bad boys is totally legit.

Right?

Hahahaha. Chopped, enveloped in a fluffy cinnamon-y batter, deep fried and then glazed. These small bites of heaven are the perfect addition to a lazy Sunday, some late night productivity, and they even serve as an afternoon snack to fight post-lunch sleepyness!

I’m tempted to say they cure the common cold and can be used as an effective love potion….

but that just sounds crazy! Hahhahaha.

So the other day, as I was making some deep fried mac and cheese balls, the recipe said to heat the  oil to 375 degrees. “You’ll know you’re there when you toss in a 1 inch cube of bread, and it begins to slowly brown”

Of course, I was out of bread. (Even the freezer was empty!)

At that point, the only logical thing I could think to do was to whip up something else to throw in first.  Hellllooooo Apple Fritters!

I spied this recipe a while back, on The Pioneer Woman’s blog.  She’s amazing. She’s like the do-it-all and then some person that I aspire to be one day. (The do-it-all part moreso than the living out in the middle of the country and farming part)

Anyway, check her out! You’ll love her.

The recipe is actually pretty simple.

Throw the dry ingredients together. Whisk em up.

Peel, slice, then chop the apples. (This is probably the hardest part haha)

Beat eggs, add vanilla and pour into the dry ingredients.

Fold them together until they’re NOT quite combined. No over mixing!

Add in the melted butter and fold until just combined.

Finally, fold in the apples. Go to town. The apples MAKE this dish, so if you feel like you don’t have enough, chop up some more!

Heat a couple of inches of oil over medium/medium-low heat. When it’s hot, drop a mini dollop of the batter into the oil. If it sizzles immediately and floats up to the top of the pot, your oil is ready to go.

Drop them in by the teaspoon. You can use a spiffy cookie scoop if you have one, I just used the two spoon method.  Collect batter in one spoon and push it off with the other.

Doesn’t make for perfectly shaped fritters, but I like variety. Plus, more surface area for the glaze!

The cooking process reminds me a lot of taro mochi. Or andagi. Not that I’ve ever made any of those, but I’ve seen!

haha.

Watch em closely, and turn when they’re nice and brown. Sometimes they’re tricky and they turn on their own.

Cook about 2-2 1/2 minutes. Then remove and drain on a paper towel.

Dust with powdered sugar, or make a quick glaze and dunk them in!

You can reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes…that is, if you have any leftover! hahaha.

Here’s the recipe, from the pioneer woman:

FRITTERS

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2-¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-¼ teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• ¾ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 2 whole Granny Smith Apples, Peeled And Diced
• Powdered Sugar (optional, For Dusting)

GLAZE

• -½ cup Powdered Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¼ cups Milk

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, then add milk, melted butter, and vanilla.

Gently fold dry and wet ingredients together until just combined (do not overmix.) Fold in apples. If the batter isn’t chunky, add more apples!

Heat a couple of inches of canola oil over medium to medium-low heat. When it gets hot, drop a little drop of batter into the oil. If it sizzles immediately and rises to the top, the oil is ready; if it burns quickly, turn down the heat.

Drop teaspoons of batter into the hot oil, six or eight at a time. Sometimes they’ll flip over by themselves; sometimes you have to flip them. Just watch them and make sure they don’t get too brown, but cook them long enough to make sure the batter’s cooked through, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes total.

Remove and drain on a paper towel. Dust very generously with powdered sugar, or dip fritters in a light doughnut glaze (mix all glaze ingredients together, then dunk warm fritters).

Serve warm!

**May be heated up the next day in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.

Tags: Dessert, Fruit, Recipes