Recipes

Apple Fritter

Date

Oct. 17, 2020

Learn about this recipe from our Historic Foodways staff, then try it at home.

This is a great pork accompaniment. You also have the option of throwing away the apples and just drinking the marinade.

Learn how we make this recipe in our kitchens based on the 18th-century description below, then use our 21st-century translation to try the recipe at home!

18th Century

Pare some apples and cut them in thin slices, put them in a bowl, with a glass of brandy, some white wine, and quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, a little cinnamon finely powdered and the rind of a lemon grated: let them stand some time, turning them over frequently; beat two eggs very light...

— Randolph, Mary. “The Virginia Housewife.” p. 155.

21st Century

Ingredients

2 or 3 Granny Smith apples, cored and pared
4 oz. brandy
4 oz. white wine
½ cup granulated sugar (not confectioner’s sugar)
1 tsp. cinnamon
Lemon rind from 1 fresh lemon
2 large eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour for batter
¾ cup all-purpose flour for dry coating
4 oz. of melted unsalted butter, margarine, or canola oil for frying
Sugar for dusting

Instructions

Mix the brandy, white wine, cinnamon, lemon peel and sugar together in a bowl. Set aside.
Pare and core the apples. Slice them however you wish: either lengthwise as half moons or across to appear like donuts. Either way, make sure the core and seeds are removed. Quickly place the apple slices into the brandy mixture to prevent them from oxidizing. Leave them in the mixture for a few hours, turning them occasionally.
Mix the eggs, flour and a tablespoon of melted butter. Add cold water to this mixture to make a thin pancake or crepe batter. Set aside.
Drain the apples on a sieve. Gently pat the apples dry with a paper towel and then lightly coat them with flour. Shake off the excess flour and put them into the batter, coating on both sides. Set aside for about 30 minutes to let the batter adhere to the apples.
Fry the apple slices in melted butter to a light brown.
Drain the fritters on a sieve or cooling rack. Dust them with granulated sugar and transfer them to a flat sheet pan. Put the apples under a broiler set on high for a minute or two to melt the sugar.