Chanukah Apple Fritters

When you think of what to prepare this Chanukah, add this to your menu of foods fried in oil. This sweet treat that somewhat resembles a doughnut came from my Binghamton, N.Y. Hadassah cookbook, “In Good Taste,” circa 1985, where the apple fritters were first served at a Temple Israel Sisterhood meeting. Friends Louise Sheiman and Sandy Zalbowitz Gladstone contributed the original recipe. The cookbook editors wrote, “We just had to include it in our cookbook!” I used gluten-free flour and Honeycrisp apples. Trying to watch my calories, I have to admit that it took discipline to eat only four fritters. They were most delicious when served warm. At least the apples were healthy!

Apple Fritters
4 medium apples, cored, peeled and sliced
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
3 tbsp. oil
6 oz. beer

Whip egg whites till stiff and set aside. In another bowl, combine the cinnamon with the sugar. Coat prepared apples with cinnamon-sugar combination and set out on a plate. (Beat egg yolks in a small bowl that you can use to make scrambled eggs later.) Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a larger bowl. Add the oil to the flour combination. Slowly pour in the beer. Mix well till the batter becomes “snow white.” Then gently fold in the egg whites. Dip the cinnamon-sugar coated apple slices into the prepared batter. Using a fork, put the apple slices in the frying pan with enough oil to cover the pan. Turn the apples carefully with a fork when the underside is a medium brown color and continue the frying until done. Drain on brown paper. Serve warm.

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This recipe makes 14 fritters using four medium apples. The batter in the recipe could have covered more apple slices, but I would have needed more of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. I put the uneaten fried fritters in a well-sealed container and refrigerated them for another day. But they also can be frozen and last a good few months. When cold, reheat the fritters on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. The fritters can be made ahead of time and served later, unless it’s too tempting to eat them fresh. Isn’t that just like potato latkes, how we love to eat them right out of the frying pan?