Apple Fritters

Apple Fritters

My son Timothy loves doughnuts.  Ask him what kind of cake he wants for his birthday, and it’s...“I want doughnuts!”  With hot fritters from favorite bakeries in mind I wanted to figure out how to do these at home. This recipe was meant to satisfy Timothy's doughnut craving and use some fresh apples at the same time.  Needless to say he loves these!  (As do the rest of the kids.)  My husband asked me to make these only once a year as they are hard to stop at just one!

4 ½ teaspoons dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 ½ cup milk, scalded then cooled

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup shortening

5 cups flour, divided

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped rather small

1 cup sugar plus 3 teaspoons cinnamon

 Canola oil for frying

In small bowl mix 1 cup sugar with 3 teaspoons cinnamon and set aside. In bowl of electric mixer.  Mix warm water and yeast until combined.  Add milk, ½ cup sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour.  Beat for a couple minutes, scraping bowl a few times.  Stir in chopped apples.  Add 2 more cups flour,one cup at a time, mixing well.  Add final cup of flour and stir a minute then add sugar and cinnamon mixture and mix  just until swirled through dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about an hour.  In deep fryer, heat an inch or two of canola oil to about 350 degrees. On heavily floured surface pour out half the dough.  Spread dough out to 1 inch thickness.  Let rest a minute and turn dough over onto other side, flouring both sides of dough.  Cut into 4 or 5 inch pieces with a pizza cutter.  Fry in hot oil until browned on both sides.  Place on tray lined with paper towel.  Cool for a minute and dip in glaze.  Place glazed apple fritters on bakers placed rack on top of baking sheet.  Let sit a minute before serving.  Repeat using the remaining dough.

Glaze:

2/3 cup butter

4 cups powdered sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

8 tablespoons hot water

In small pot, melt butter.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water.  Whisk until smooth.  Dip hot fritters in glaze, allow to set a minute before serving hot.