First Recipe: Apple Fritters
So I live in a student co-op. Part of my rent is 4 hours of labor every week. For my labor I cook. This past semester I cooked Sunday brunch and Thursday lunch. Sunday brunches were especially fun because there was no set menu. We just took whatever was available in the fridge and freezer and put things together. This allowed me to experiment with recipes. The tofu frittata? Not a good idea. The apple turnovers? Rave reviews. And finally apple fritters? Lot's of love all around. This recipe is actually a modification of a Pear Fritter Recipe found on allrecipes.com. It is also scaled to make at least 30 fritters. I realize that technically fritters are fried and not baked, but the process is very similar to baking up until the point of frying them.
Apple Fritters
Servings 30
Ingredients:
Enough olive oil to coat the bottom of an extra large skillet (approx. 5 tbsp)
8 Apples
5 c. All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp. and 2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1-3/4 tsp Salt
1 c. Brown Sugar
8 Egg
1-1/3 c. and 1 tbsp Milk
Oil for deep frying (Canola works well)
1/2 c. Lemon Juice
4 c. Water
1/3 c. Powdered Sugar (optional)
1. Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with oil and put it on high heat. Keep a candy thermometer (or any food thermometer that goes over 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Check the temperature ever five minutes or so during the rest of the prep process until it reaches 350 degrees, then put it on medium-low to maintain the temperature.
2. In a large bowl pour the water and the lemon juice. Peel, core, and slice the apples one at a time, placing the slices in the lemon water. When all of the apples have been sliced, remove them from the lemon water and dice into fingertip sized pieces. In a large to extra large skillet heat the olive oil and then saute the apples until caramelized. Set apples aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar together. Then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Slowly pout the egg mixture into the well and then mix until well incorporated into a dough. Fold in the apples.
4. Check the oil to make sure that it is approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Now take two spoons and use them to drop three or four balls of dough into the oil. Use a wire mesh skimmer to turn the fritters in the oil to make sure all sides get evenly browned. The fritters will turn medium-dark brown when done. Do not leave them in the oil more than three minutes. Removed cooked fritters to a large plate or baking sheet covered in paper towels to drain.
5. Plate while hot, and optionally sprinkle with powdered sugar, eat while warm, and enjoy!
PS. I've been considering reducing the brown sugar by 1/3 to 1/2. The sweetness of the sugar seems to be overpowering the flavor of the apples. If anyone tries this would you let me know how it turns out?
Apple Fritters
Servings 30
Ingredients:
Enough olive oil to coat the bottom of an extra large skillet (approx. 5 tbsp)
8 Apples
5 c. All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp. and 2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1-3/4 tsp Salt
1 c. Brown Sugar
8 Egg
1-1/3 c. and 1 tbsp Milk
Oil for deep frying (Canola works well)
1/2 c. Lemon Juice
4 c. Water
1/3 c. Powdered Sugar (optional)
1. Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with oil and put it on high heat. Keep a candy thermometer (or any food thermometer that goes over 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Check the temperature ever five minutes or so during the rest of the prep process until it reaches 350 degrees, then put it on medium-low to maintain the temperature.
2. In a large bowl pour the water and the lemon juice. Peel, core, and slice the apples one at a time, placing the slices in the lemon water. When all of the apples have been sliced, remove them from the lemon water and dice into fingertip sized pieces. In a large to extra large skillet heat the olive oil and then saute the apples until caramelized. Set apples aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar together. Then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Slowly pout the egg mixture into the well and then mix until well incorporated into a dough. Fold in the apples.
4. Check the oil to make sure that it is approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Now take two spoons and use them to drop three or four balls of dough into the oil. Use a wire mesh skimmer to turn the fritters in the oil to make sure all sides get evenly browned. The fritters will turn medium-dark brown when done. Do not leave them in the oil more than three minutes. Removed cooked fritters to a large plate or baking sheet covered in paper towels to drain.
5. Plate while hot, and optionally sprinkle with powdered sugar, eat while warm, and enjoy!
PS. I've been considering reducing the brown sugar by 1/3 to 1/2. The sweetness of the sugar seems to be overpowering the flavor of the apples. If anyone tries this would you let me know how it turns out?