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Recipe Detail Page
Apple Fritters with Cranberry Gelato
Holiday 2013
Apple pie and ice cream are a famous combination and for good reason—they’re delicious together. Take those same flavours and turn them into tender, batter-coated apple slices, fry them to perfection, then dust them with cinnamon-sugar and serve with a tart-sweet, creamy cranberry gelato and you’ve got a new twist on the classic. Make the gelato a day or two ahead and fry the fritters just before serving for the best texture. Enlist some help in the kitchen so you can get the fritters fried and sugar-coated assembly-line style, then get the ice cream scooped to serve while the fritters are still hot.
Serves 8, makes 4 cups (1 L) gelato
CRANBERRY GELATO
3 cups (750 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 12 oz (375 g)
1¼ cups (310 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) water
2 cups (500 mL) 18% table cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Pinch salt
APPLE FRITTERS
8 to 10 cups (2 to 2.5 L) canola
or sunflower oil
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
1 egg
1½ cups (375 mL) buttermilk
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
4 large cooking apples, such as Northern Spy, Crispin or Granny Smith
COATING
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1 For the cranberry gelato, combine cranberries, sugar and water in a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until cranberries are soft and sauce is thick and jammy. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled.
2 Add cream, vanilla and salt to cranberry mixture and use an immersion blender, or transfer to an upright blender, to purée until smooth.
3 Freeze puréed mixture in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a chilled container and freeze for up to 3 days. If firm, let soften at room temperature for 30—minutes before serving.
4 For the fritters, pour enough oil into a large deep skillet or deep fryer until 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) deep, but fill the pot no more than half-full. Heat over medium-high heat to 370°F (188°C).
5 Line a large baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towel.
6 Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk egg until blended. Whisk in buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Set aside.
7 Peel apples and use an apple corer or a paring knife to remove cores, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick (5-mm) rings, or cut in half lengthwise and cut out cores, then cut lengthwise into wedges.
8 For the coating, combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.
9 Dip 2 to 3 apple slices at a time into batter to coat thickly, then carefully place into hot oil. Fry for about 1½ to 2 minutes or until puffed and bottoms are deep golden brown. Carefully flip over and fry for about 1 to 2—minutes longer or second side is deep golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and place on paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain temperature.
10 Dip hot fritters into sugar coating, turning to coat. Serve hot with scoops of cranberry gelato.
Serves 8, makes 4 cups (1 L) gelato
