Classic Apple Fritters Doughnuts
from https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/

These classic, yeast-raised apple fritters are just like the ones from your favourite bakery or doughnut shop. These are best on the day they are made, but they freeze beautifully if you can't eat them all up right away.

Let me just say first off - these are the real deal apple fritters. They are made with a great yeast-raised dough, which is chopped together with cooked apple chunks and perfectly speckled with cinnamon. Once they are cooked up, they are lovely and browned on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. The glaze adds a thin layer of sweetness and makes these beautiful donuts sparkle.

Apples - a medium-sized, tart apple is recommended, so you could go with the super-tart Granny Smith, but I prefer a red-skinned tart apple. I've used Pink Lady here. Other tart apples would be Empire or Cortland, Northern Spy, Braeburn or any apple you might use for an apple pie.

Bread Flour - yeast doughnuts such as these apple fritters, benefit from higher-protein bread flour, which gives the dough a bit more elasticity, so it can trap more air pockets and create a lighter texture to the doughnut. For best results, start with bread flour. If you really can't wait to stock up on bread flour, you can use all purpose flour, though the texture of the finished fritters might not be quite a light. (You may also find you need to use a bit more flour in the dough to get the moist, smooth dough when using all purpose flour).

Dough:
1 1/2 Tbsp active dry or instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water [1/4 cup water to activate yeast, 1/4 cup apple juice or cider]
2 tsp white sugar
2 cups bread flour, plus more, as needed (can use all purpose flour, see note above)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp mace, (can substitute nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp shortening or lard, (can use vegetable oil)
1 large egg
1/4 tsp vanilla

For the apples:
2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (see note above)
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
For assembling:
4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp bread flour

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp light corn, or golden syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/3 cup water [or apple juice or cider]

For frying:
vegetable oil, for frying (or similar, neutral-tasting oil)

For the dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the yeast to the warm water. Add the sugar, stir and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, mace and salt. Set aside.

When yeast is ready, add the shortening, egg and vanilla and mix with the PADDLE attachment on low speed for 1 minute (to break up the shortening). Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add a second third of the flour mixture and again, mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour mixture. Knead with the hook until all that flour is incorporated. If dough is sticky, start adding flour in 1 Tbsp. increments, until the dough comes together, clears the bottom of the bowl and is becoming smooth. Knead on medium for about 2 minutes more. The dough should be smooth and but still a bit moist (but not sticky).

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set-aside to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, make the apple filling. Place the diced apples, sugar and lemon juice into a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl to cool completely before using.

When bread has finished it's first rise, remove to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10-inch x 10-inch square. Sprinkle the apples over one half of the dough. Sprinkle all the cinnamon evenly over the apples and then sprinkle with the 1 Tbsp. flour. Fold the empty side of the dough over the side with the apples. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1/2-inch wide strips from top to bottom. Repeat cutting 1/2-inch strips from side to side, so you end up with small chunks of dough. Gather up the dough bits and cut some more, from different directions, until it is in small chunks and evenly mixed with cinnamon/apples/dough etc.

Using floured hands, roughly shape into a 12-inch long x 3-inch wide log. Cut the log into 1 inch slices. With each slice, roughly pat into a disc, about the size of your palm (use some additional flour, as needed, if your dough is sticky). Place the dough discs onto a parchment lined or floured baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches of room around each. Repeat with all 12 dough pieces. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and set-aside to rise until doubled again, about 30-45 minutes (approximately. Will vary depending on room temperature. The fritters should double in size and look puffy).

When the fritters are almost risen, prepare the glaze. Add the icing sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the water and white granulated sugar to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 minute. Add this mixture to the bowl with the icing sugar and whisk until all the sugar and has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. (You don't want any lumps :) Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until needed.

When dough is about ready to cook, heat oil in a deep fryer to 370° [350° so they cook in the middle] (alternately, use a heavy deep pot and a thermometer to monitor temperature). Fry each donut until deep golden on the underside (1 1/2 - 2 minutes), flip over and fry the other side. (*time and temperature may need to vary. Watch closely the first few to determine timing. If they seem to be browning too quickly, lower temperature slightly or likewise, if they seem to be taking too long to brown, raise the temperature slightly). Remove to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. If there are any loose apples in the frying oil, scoop out between batches so you don't have any apple pieces burning in the oil and causing bitter flavours.

While the fritters are still quite warm (as soon as they are cool enough to handle), dip into prepared glaze and return to cooling rack to cool completely. *Stir the glaze mixture regularly during the process, to keep it nice and smooth.

Makes 12 fritters