Salted Caramel Apple Fritters
If this is your first time trying out a homemade apple fritter recipe, let me just start by telling you that you can do this!! These salted caramel apple fritters are genuinely one of the easiest desserts I have ever made; the batter comes together in just a few minutes, you can fry them on the stove top with any neutral vegetable oil, toss them in a glaze and voila! Apple fritters are a classic dessert for a reason, and making them at home with the salted caramel twist is pure perfection!
Bakers Notes
There is a few things I have learnt over the years, through much trial and error, about how to successfully make donuts at home on the stove top. Let my trials and tribulations guide you in the right way so that your batch of donuts turns out perfectly every time! I want these salted caramel apple fritters to be a raging success for you!
Oil Temperature
A thermometer would be handy, but I also realize that most of us might not have a kitchen thermometer to use in this circumstance with the oil. Once you have your vegetable or canola oil in a large pot or dutch oven, bring it to medium heat. After a few minutes you can test the temperature of your oil by running your hands under the sink and splashing the water in to the pot on the stove. If the water makes the oil simmer and crackle, it is ready for baking, but if it doesn’t, give it a few more minutes to come to temperature. Another important note on the oil is to make sure you have a deep enough pot with deep enough oil that the donuts will not stick to the bottom. I typically reccomend at least 6 inches of oil.
Another trick with making donuts is to prevent the oil from getting too hot while frying. You will want to turn the heat on the stove down to medium – low while frying the donuts to prevent it from over heating during your batches of donuts.
Frying the Donuts
You are going to have more success with smaller donuts over larger ones. If you go too large, the middle of the donut will still be raw by the time the outside if crispy and perfect. I typically recommend no more than 1/4 of a cup worth of batter for each donut. Donut holes are also a great alternative if you are about larger donuts not frying all the way through. Frying time will always be slightly different based on the size of the donut and the temperature of the oil, but 4-6 minutes per side is typically perfect.
Storing the Donuts
Most of my recipes store well, but I will be the first to admit that these donuts are best enjoyed warm and fresh from frying. I don’t think anyone will turn down a day old salted caramel apple fritter, but I do reccomend you enjoy these right away!
The Recipe
The Fritters
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 average sized apples, diced small
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
Grab a large mixing bowl and using either a whisk or an electric mixer, combine the milk, eggs, oil and brown sugar. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and and spices in a separate small bowl and then gradually add to the wet mixture, mixing gently but often, until all clumps are absorbed and it is well mixed. Finally, fold in the diced apples until evenly distributed. Set aside.
For the Glaze
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine the icing sugar, milk and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl and whisk vigorously until a smooth, light, thin glaze is formed. If it seems to thick, add a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, add a spoon of icing sugar, but thin is preferred for a light glaze on the donuts!
For the Salted Caramel
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp flaky salt
In a medium sized pot on medium heat, melt together the brown sugar and butter until dissolved and starting to bubble. Pour in the heavy cream and let this come to a bubble for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Once it has bubbled and starts to slightly thicken, remove from the heat and mix in the flaky salt. Pour this in to a heat safe glass jar with a lid and transfer to the fridge to set.
Making these Salted Caramel Apple Fritters
Please read tips on heating the oil in the bakers notes above. Use a large pot or dutch oven filled with at least 6-8 inches worth of vegetable or canola oil on medium heat. Once your oil has reached temperature, add 1/4 cup worth of fritter batter to the pot, I typically fry 4 fritters at a time. Allow these to fry for 4-6 minutes per side, but checking often for a golden brown fry before flipping over and allowing the second side to fry as well. Once cooked, remove from the oil and dip directly in to the glaze while the fritter is still hot. Set these on a cooling wire rack to allow them to cool completely. Repeat this process with all of your fritter batter, and then once done, drizzle that salted caramel on top and enjoy!
This recipe will make about 12 average salted caramel apple fritters, but the final outcome depends on the size of each donut.
Ingredients
Method
- Grab a large mixing bowl and using either a whisk or an electric mixer, combine the milk, eggs, oil and brown sugar. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and and spices in a separate small bowl and then gradually add to the wet mixture, mixing gently but often, until all clumps are absorbed and it is well mixed. Finally, fold in the diced apples until evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Combine the icing sugar, milk and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl and whisk vigorously until a smooth, light, thin glaze is formed. If it seems to thick, add a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, add a spoon of icing sugar, but thin is preferred for a light glaze on the donuts!
- In a medium sized pot on medium heat, melt together the brown sugar and butter until dissolved and starting to bubble. Pour in the heavy cream and let this come to a bubble for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Once it has bubbled and starts to slightly thicken, remove from the heat and mix in the flaky salt. Pour this in to a heat safe glass jar with a lid and transfer to the fridge to set.
- Please read tips on heating the oil in the bakers notes above. Use a large pot or dutch oven filled with atleast 6-8 inches worth of vegetable or canola oil on medium heat. Once your oil has reached temperature, add 1/4 cup worth of fritter batter to the pot, I typically fry 4 fritters at a time. Allow these to fry for 4-6 minutes per side, but checking often for a golden brown fry before flipping over and allowing the second side to fry as well.
- Once cooked, remove from the oil and dip directly in to the glaze while the fritter is still hot. Set these on a cooling wire rack to allow them to cool completely. Repeat this process with all of your fritter batter, and then once done, drizzle that salted caramel on top and enjoy!