Apple Fritters

Makes 8

Ingredients

Apple Fritters

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples or Honey Crisp apples peeled, cored and diced

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Baobab Fruit Powder (optional)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add 1/3 cup milk, eggs and applesauce. Stir just to combine. Fold in apples
  2. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in heavy skillet, Dutch oven or deep fryer to 375F degrees
  3. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter per fritter into hot oil; spreading it out as you drop
  4. Cook each side until golden brown; approximately 2-3 minutes per side
  5. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a cooling rack set over some paper towels to drain
  6. While the fritters cool, whisk together 1/4 cup milk, Baobab fruit powder, powdered sugar and vanilla. Dunk each fritters in the glaze to coat.  Place on wire racks to drip and air dry

Freezing & Reheating

If you’re making your fritters for later, they keep really well in the freezer compartment. Freeze for up to 2 month for best taste. You’ll need to remember not to glaze them though! Allow your unglazed fritters to cool completely before wrapping individually in cling wrap, popping in freezer bags and storing in your freezer.

The best way to thaw frozen apple fritters is to remove them from the freezer, unwrap them and place them into the fridge. It is best to leave them overnight to ensure they thaw all the way through.

If they have not thawed all the way through by the time you want to eat them, you could leave them out on the counter for up to an hour to speed up that process. 

To reheat, and to ensure you get a nice crisp apple fritter, you can either use a toaster oven or a conventional oven. Place the thawed fritters on a baking tray and reheat them at 375F for 5 minutes.

Once they’re reheated you can glaze them as Step 2 above.

Brown Butter & Tonka Bean Pumpkin Madeleines 

with Chai Caramel Dipping Sauce

Makes 24

Ingredients

Madeleines

  • 12/ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon mixed spice
  • 1 Tonka bean, grated
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

Caramel Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon chai spice mixture

Method

Madeleines

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 12-shell madeleine pans with baking spray or cake release. (Or brush with melted butter and coat with flour, tapping out the excess flour)
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is a brown color, It will now start to have a “nutty” smell. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool (You’ll notice small brown/black particles. Don’t worry these are all part of brown butter!)
  3. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and tonka bean. Whisk., to combine and set aside until needed
  4. In a stand mixer bowl add the eggs and sugar and with the whisk attachment mix on medium-high until the mixture is light in color, thick, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on slow until combined
  5. After removing the bowl from the mixer, fold in the flour mixture gently by hand. Once the flour is completely added, gently pour in the cooled melted butter and fold it into the mixture until completely incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure no pockets of unmixed ingredients
  6. Pour the madeleine batter into a large piping bag (fitted with plain circular nozzle, or snip the end of the bag off)
  7. Fill the prepared trays with batter in each mould to 3/4 depth
  8. Bake the madeleines for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden
  9. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack

*Keep in an airtight container for up to for 2-3 days. The madeleines can also be frozen for up to 2 months and then reheated in the microwave or in a 350F oven before serving.

Caramel Dipping Sauce

  1. In a heavy-based saucepan combine the brown sugar and water. Heat until the sugar dissolves
  2. Increase the heat and allow the sugar mixture to deepen in color, approximately 240F (Soft Crack on sugar thermometer)

*exercise care in these next few steps!

  1. Remove the saucepan with the melted sugar from the heat and add in the salted butter. Whisk briskly and carefully so that it melts and becomes incorporated into the sugar mixture. It may hiss and spit so please take care!
  2. Next add the cream in a steady stream and stir to fully incorporate. Again take care at this point.
  3. Stir in the chai spice mixture
  4. Pour into the small ramekins or mini-milk bottles to serve with the pumpkin madeleines

**The final caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. I find it’s best if removed from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to allow it the return to full “saucy goodness”. If you prefer it warmed, heat in a microwavable container in 10-15 second bursts until it at desired temperature