Apple Fritters

I’m sure I’ve mentioned Ree, The Pioneer Woman, here before. I love her.  We love her.  She’s brilliant.  If you somehow don’t know her, go check out her website and learn about her beautiful part of the world, her sensational kitchen, the cute dog Charlie, homeschooling her lovely children, photography and many more things. 

Apart from all this it constantly amazes me how often Ree posts on her website. Seriously, it’s several times a day.  What, does the woman not sleep or something!?  I don’t know how she does it.  I don’t sleep much and I struggle to find the time to get to the store and make something delicious let alone photograph it and then tell you all about it on a regular basis and make it interesting!  I guess I’m not really a writer though.  Yeah, they’re pathetic excuses but I’m sticking to them.

Ree has inspired me a lot lately, which is great.  Last time I was pregnant I didn’t want to go anywhere near the kitchen.  Recently my friend Hannah and I made her Chocolate Sheet Cake (which I've made shared here before and raved about) and topped it off with what was described as the Best Frosting Ever.  It was a successful and gorgeous birthday cake, everyone loved it but for the first time, ever, I did not agree with The Pioneer Woman about the frosting.

Anyway, this is not about the frosting, it’s about Ree’s Apple Fritters.  They lived up to every bit of praise Ree gave them. And more.  Yummo, these little balls of apple, cinnamon-ey doughnutey goodness were to die for.  Next time I make them I’ll halve the recipe as there was too much batter for our house.  It did keep in the fridge nicely and fried up perfectly the next day but I’m not sure we need that much deep-fried goodness in our lives!

2 cups plain flour
½ cups sugar
3 tbs sugar
2-¼ tsp baking powder
1-¼ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
¾ cups milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs melted butter
2 whole granny smith apples, peeled and diced
Icing sugar (optional, for dusting)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, then add milk, melted butter, and vanilla.

Gently fold dry and wet ingredients together until just combined (do not overmix.) Fold in apples. Add enough apples to make a very chunky batter. You want the apples to shine though!

Heat a couple of inches of canola oil over medium to medium-low heat. When it gets hot, drop a little drop of batter into the oil. If it sizzles immediately and rises to the top, the oil is ready; if it burns quickly, turn down the heat.

Drop teaspoons of batter into the hot oil, six or eight at a time. Sometimes they'll flip over by themselves; sometimes you have to flip them. Just watch them and make sure they don't get too brown, but cook them long enough to make sure the batter's cooked through, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes total.

Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Serve warm!

Sathya-rating ****