So that pile that I was the center of…’twas my goal to organize them, alphabetically of course, type the recipes up and then note ingredients that I would have to buy. I realized earlier in the week that I still have many boxes of kitchen items packed away. The pantry is bear. No shelves. Thus the packed boxes. However, most of the boxes contain glassware that I won’t need. And I do know that I have baking pans packed away. Luck is on my side for a change as I know where one box, rather one large plastic tote is, so I should be all set to bake. If not, I’ll have to run around and check all the boxes that are packed for more baking pans. That would be a project in itself. It could knock me off track.
March was the month that I sat down with boxes and piles of recipes around me. Now, as I review my list, there are some recipes that I look at and I hear myself ask, “Do I want to make this recipe?” Take B for example. I wrote down bagels. I want to make bagels. I’m just not sure I want to make bagels in June. I eat bagels throughout the year but I can see myself making bagels in the fall. So my indecision drove me back to the mass of recipes where I sifted through them once again. I don’t want to bake something with bananas. I like bananas. I have a great recipe for Frosted Banana Bars but the goal here is to make new recipes. Make. Taste. Decide. The fate of each recipe – does it earn a page in our tried-and-approved recipe book or does it get thrown into the recycle container – is based on reviews from four people – my husband, two children and myself.
A sets the baking project on the counter.
A is for Apple – right? I think every grade school book I have ever read always uses apple for A. So I’ll be a follower and not deviate from that. I thought Apple Fritters would be a good recipe to begin with. Perhaps the recipe will surprise you. It is not a complicated recipe. Unless making dough frightens you? Don't let it. I will try any recipe once, just to see how I do so there might be some disappoints along the way but that is how we learn.
So I read through the recipe and was disappointed as I did not have any apple juice in the house. Not even one juice box! So instead of apple juice, I used maple syrup and water. It worked. I was happy with the results.
Don't they look yummy after sautéing? Such a nice golden brown and they smelled delicious!
Oh - I have to admit, I halved the recipe - just in case the final results were not edible.
I used granny smith apples. I like to use them for pies. I know some people think they are too tart but they are my preferred apple. You could also use Braeburn or pink lady apples if you really don’t like granny smith apples. It’s all personal preference.
I mixed up a half-recipe for the dough. It worked well as I let it rise while I peeled, cut and chopped the apple up. Then got busy sautéing them. That took about seven to eight minutes but then you have to let the apples cool.
Failing to have taken a picture of the beautifully risne dough, I'll skip to fillig the dough. The recipe said to divide the dough into 24 parts (my case, 12) and roll the parts into 3-inch circles. That would take too much time so I rolled the dough out (it rolled out so nicely on our granite countertop!)and cut it into squares. Then I spooned the filling on the dough in the center since you wrap the dough around the filling and pinch the seams to seal.
Here are the fritters once they are filled, wrapped and seamed.
And here are the risen fritters. I found that the rising time was considerably less than the recipe stated so watch the dough.
Oven time after the fritters sit and rise. Now my fritters did not bake for twenty minutes. I pulled them out after fourteen minutes as they were golden brown at that time.
Looking good?
Oh the goo! Honestly, I wanted to eat this one right then - hot or not. But since I told our daughter she had to wait, I too, had to wait.
After removing them from the pan to cool, I mixed up the glaze. Again, I used maple syrup and a little water to bring it to a glaze consistency. I also used a little nutmeg instead of cinnamon.
So as I ate the last one this morning, I wanted to show you what the fritters hold.
We had family visit yesterday and they tried the fritters and gave positive reviews.
The voting results from the family: 3 keepers - 1 throw out (however, he ate the fritter he said he did not like, so I changed the vote to 4 keepers.) This recipe has officially been added to our collection.
For a quicker version, I would roll the dough out into a rectangle, spread the apple mixture over the top, roll up lengthwise and slice. These could be baked like cinnamon rolls and then glazed.
Apple Fritters
Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound)
½ cup apple juice (I used 1/8 cup maple syrup and 1/8 cup water)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dough:
2 packages dry yeast (about 4 ½ teaspoons)
1 cup warm 1% low-fat milk (100˚ - 110˚F)
5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon apple juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To prepare the filling:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple, sauté for 3 minutes. Add ½ cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 3 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Remove from heat and cool.
To prepare dough:
Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Add 3 ½ cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, salt and eggs to the yeast mixture, stirring until smooth. Add 1 cup flour; stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
** It is here that I call for my son – he loves punching down the dough!
Punch dough down. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 24 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying out), roll each portion into a 3-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 2 teaspoons apple filling into center of dough; gather dough over filling to form a ball, pinching seam to seal. Place seam side down, in a muffin cup coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portions and filling. Cover and let rise 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Uncover dough; bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from ban, cool on wire rack.
Prepare glaze by mixing all ingredients together. Drizzle over rolls.
Yield: 2 dozen (serving size = 1 roll)
[Calories 191; Fat 3.4 g; Protein 3.9 g; Carb 36.4 g; Fiber 1.3 g; Chol 25 mg; Iron 1.4 mg; Sodium 136 mg; calcium 21 mg ] Source: Cooking Light
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