Okay people, you are going to die for this Apple Fritter recipe. It is an often begged-for dessert in our home and an absolutely perfect way to end off a Sunday evening. So simple, but so freakin’ good.

Now, if the idea of dipping something into oil and frying it makes you run for a pile of chickpeas and kale, then this recipe might not be for you. As for me, I love delicious food, food that can be shared and passed around the table, and food that is a part of family traditions and memories. These apple fritters are absolutely that for our family. We love them.

Thank you to the ever-awesome Chef Thomas Keller, owner of T he French Laundry in California and author of many cookbooks, including the one that this recipe came from – Ad Hoc at Home.

“I love the casualness and ease of this great finger food dessert— a plate of hot apple fritters, dusted with powdered sugar, passed around the table is a satisfying end to a meal. While these fritters are a wonderful dessert to make when seasonal apples are abundant, you can also vary the fruit, using pears instead of apples, for example. If you like, serve them with Vanilla Ice Cream (page 319) and a drizzle of honey. They’re best immediately after they are fried, so serve them hot.“

Thomas Keller

Apple Fritters

Thomas Keller, Ad Hoc at Home

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
3 large Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious apples
Canola oil for deep-frying
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Whisk together the ﬂour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

Lightly beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Whisk into the dry ingredients until combined.

The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 hours.

Peel the apples and slice the fruit from the core. Cut the apples into 2-inch-long, 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks. Fold into the batter.

Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 325°F in a wide deep pot.

Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet and line it with paper towels.

Using two forks, lift up about 5 to 6 of the apple matchsticks from the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip back into the bowl—the fritter should be irregular in shape, with just a very light coating of batter—and add to the hot oil. Add a few more fritters to the pot, without crowding, and fry for about 5 minutes, turning the fritters from time to time, until crisp and golden brown.

Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer them to the paper towels, and fry the remaining fritters in batches.

Stack the fritters on a serving platter, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar, and serve immediately. *(We serve ours with a dollop of honey for dipping! Ooey Gooey Goodness, I promise).

Serves 6

*Note from me, not a part of the original recipe.