Crab Apple Fritters with Vanilla-Spiced Glaze
With a dairy allergy in our household, you get pretty used to experimenting. People will say, “oh, you must miss eating pizza and lasagna and ice cream,” but let me tell you–if there’s a will, there’s a way. These fritters are dairy free and gluten free, and let me tell you - there is absolutely nothing suffering when it comes to the flavour!
I remember the days when my baba and my grandpa would make donuts and it always seemed quite labor-intensive. They had to make the dough, it had to rise, then they formed the donuts, then they let them rise again. It was a full day activity. These fritters take as long as it takes to make a batch of cookies, and I think they have half the amount of sugar. The flavour is all in the spices and the apples, with a subtly, sweet glaze to finish it off. I fry them in a small saucepan, with only a couple inches of oil in super small batches, so the frying isn’t even that intimidating. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Recipe
Crab Apple Fritters with Vanilla-Spiced Glaze
Ingredients
For the fritters:
1 1/2 cups GF all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup coconut milk (or other alternative milk)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped crap apples (skin on is fine)
Oil to fry (I used avocado oil and it worked great, but a cheaper oil like canola will do just fine!)
For glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
3 tbsp coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
pinch of ground cloves
sea salt to finish
Directions
Combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs, and then add coconut oil, maple syrup and 1/2 cup of the coconut milk.
Add wet ingredients to dry, carefully mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the apples. Add up to another 1/4 cup of milk to thin out batter, if necessary. Batter should be similar to the consistency of muffin dough.
Place a small saucepan over high heat. Add about 2 inches of oil to pan.
Once oil is hot and shimmering, use a cookie scoop or a spoon to drop tablespoons of dough into the oil. I like to do about 4 at a time. Try to keep them from touching, and carefully nudge them a bit so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. After a couple minutes, flip them and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until golden on both sides.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove each fritter to a paper towel-lined cooling rack. Continue the process until all the fritters are made.
Whisk together icing ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dunk each fritter in glaze or drizzle the tops and leave them on the cooling rack to drip off. Serve warm with a hot cup of tea or steaming cup of coffee!
Recipe adapted from the lovely Half Baked Harvest
