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Recipes

Apple Fritters with Quick Caramel Sauce

Author: Eliza Adam
Serves: Makes about 2 dozen

Homemade fritters with cinnamon-y apple filling drizzled with an easy caramel sauce.
apple fritters with caramel sauce
Homemade fritters with cinnamon-y apple filling drizzled with an easy caramel sauce. The sauce can be made ahead of time and warmed over low heat before serving.

Ingredients

Apple filling

  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • 2-3 (about ¾-1 lb.) Pink Lady or Gala apples, peeled and chopped into 1⁄3-½” cubes
  • 2 T sugar
  • ½ t. ground cinnamon
  • 1 t. lemon juice

Caramel sauce

  • ½ C unsalted butter
  • 1 C light brown sugar
  • ½ C whipping cream
  • Batter ingredients
  • 3 C all-purpose flour
  • 2½ T baking powder
  • ½ C sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 C whole milk
  • 1 C water
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying
  • ½ C confectioner’s sugar

Preparation

  1. Make the apple filling: Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute apples, sugar, and ground cinnamon until browned in spots and tender, stirring often (about 8 minutes). Add lemon juice and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Make the caramel sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and cream and continue cooking while stirring constantly (until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth). Remove from heat. It may look thin at first but it will thicken as it cools. Caramel sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Warm over low heat if desired before serving.
  3. Make the batter: Sift together the first four ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine milk, water, egg, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add apple filling and stir again until well combined.
  4. Heat about 2″ of oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep, heavy skillet over medium heat until it reaches 325° on a fryer thermometer. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons into hot oil (3 to 4 at a time); fry fritters 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain fritters well on paper towels and cool slightly. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and drizzle with caramel sauce.