Whenever I tell someone that I grew up in West Michigan, they always say "Well, you don't look Dutch!" Maybe that's because...I'm not! Just because I grew up "near" Dutch Village and an hour outside of Holland, Michigan, doesn't mean I'm Dutch or Christian Reformed. But, that seems to always be the assumption when meeting someone new who is familiar with that side of the state. I swear they even look at my feet to see if I'm wearing wooden shoes.
Don't let me confuse you now that I'm sharing a Dutch recipe with you today. I'm still not Dutch, people. I'm Irish/Italian, with a little bit of Blackfeet Indian, German and whatever else. Okay, maybe there is some Dutch in there somewhere that I don't even know about. 😉
Can we just agree that you should go ahead and try making these apple fritters even if you aren't of Dutch heritage? I mean, these puffy pillows of fried apple rings that are generously dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon need to make their way into your mouths. Just think of the possibilities... post trick-or-treating dessert, Thanksgiving brunch, Christmas Eve breakfast? Or, better yet, go Dutch and serve as a New Years tradition.
Appelbeignets (Dutch Apple Fritters)
Ingredients
- 3 large apples , peeled and cored, then sliced thinly into rings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons superfine sugar*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- Oil for frying
- Cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a wide bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, superfine sugar, ground cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, lightly beat the milk and egg. Slowly mix the milk/egg mixture into the dry ingredients until the batter is thin enough to dip the apples in but thick enough to stick. Add more flour or milk as needed to reach the right consistency. Let batter set for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep skillet or deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Working with a couple slices at a time, dip the apple rings into the batter to coat, then add to the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes, until puffy and golden brown, flipping halfway. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain and allow to slightly cool.
- Sprinkle the fried apple rings generously with cinnamon sugar then a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
- Source: Adapted from Almost Bourdain
