Introducing The Yankee Chef: Apple fritters a great start to a New England morning

By Jim Bailey 

I have been debating what to offer in my first column for The Chester Telegraph. It didn’t take long to find the answer. Having breakfast this morning and seeing the bag of apples I just received from my sister — who picked them for me — I knew:  my all-time favorite breakfast treat with my first cup of coffee of the day.

When Was The Last Time?

Do you remember the last time you made your own doughnuts or fritters? There’s nothing like a gooey, warm apple fritter, sticky with sugar to give you that warm, fulfilling feeling before you begin your day. Make these the night before if you want that little boost the next day. They truly are better the second day.

The New England apple harvest is in full swing and I urge you to taste the Yankee fall by strolling among the lanes of MacIntosh, Braeburns and Cortlands. Which one to use in fritters? Your choice. Some like the stoutness of a hard Mac – those picked this year — or the tenderness of a smooth flavor of a Cortland. The apple in this recipe is prepared such that the type is up to you.

Apple Fritters

You just can’t find these delicious fritters anywhere. Sure, you may see them in the store and they may look the same, but taste-wise, “fah’get-bout-it.”

Warm and gooey apple fritter.

2 c. self-rising flour
3 T. sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 c. milk
2 c. chopped or diced apples
6 c. vegetable oil or shortening, for frying

Sift together dry ingredients. Gradually add beaten eggs and milk combined. Refrigerate batter for about 2 hours. Place oil or shortening in a heavy pan or deep skillet and heat to 350-degrees F. Stir the apples into the batter. Drop by tablespoon into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Roll in powdered sugar, sugar/cinnamon combination, white glaze or mace glaze.

White Glaze

1/4 c. milk
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Stir the milk into the powdered sugar until it is smooth, then add the vanilla.

Here is an age old recipe for the perfect accompaniment to the apple fritter. You can either substitute the white glaze for the mace sauce or just have a dish of this age-old sauce on the sauce for dipping.

Mace Sauce

1 1/2 c. apple juice or cider
1/3 c. sugar
4 t. cornstarch
1/2 t. mace
2 T. butter or margarine
Pinch salt
1 t. lemon juice

In a saucepan, add sugar, cornstarch, salt and mace. Slowly add apple juice, stirring until blended. Cook until thickened. Stir constantly. Add lemon juice and butter. Stir until melted.

If you have a problem finding mace, nutmeg can be substituted. There is a subtle taste difference between the two but not enough to alter the true intent in flavor.