Appelbeignets (Dutch Apple Fritters)

Yum

Of course I have every intention of starting those New Year resolutions. Really. Healthier recipes are coming your way...a couple of them, at least. But c'mon. The whole year is looming ahead of us. There is plenty of time. Let's start the New Year right with another Dutch tradition: Appelbeignets!

A few years ago, I hauled out my Fry Baby (circa 1975...no kidding) to make Oliebollen. They are by all accounts a precursor to the modern day doughnut...fried balls of dough studded with raisins or chopped apple and rolled in sugar...all of Holland celebrates with them on New Year's Eve. I found them to be pretty awesome, but deep frying isn't my thing so I put the Fry Baby into storage. 

This year, a deal on cooking oil got me to thinking about those Oliebollen and how I've been wanting to try and make their better looking cousin, the Appelbeignet....literally a Dutch Apple Fritter. Out came the Fry Baby...

Just peel, core, and slice a few apples....

I searched around for a good recipe to use and I found several very similar ones. A few use a bottle of ale in the batter, but I didn't have any so I went the way of buttermilk.  To brighten things up, I decided to use a little orange zest, but otherwise the batter is pretty straight forward. Simply peel, core and slice some apples...I used a few Honeycrisp....and make a simple batter. Very easy.

Appelbeignets (Dutch Apple Fritters)

Printable Recipe

3 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest, divided

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

Heat at least 2 cups of oil to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and 1/2 tablespoon orange zest. Sprinkle over the apples,

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat the egg into the buttermilk and stir in half of the orange zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour, stirring until combined. If the batter is too thick, add more buttermilk a teaspoon at a time to thin it out.

Dip the apple slices into the batter, covering completely. Carefully drop two or three slices into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

I couldn't decide if I wanted them rolled in cinnamon-sugar.....

.....or simple sprinkled with powdered sugar. I made them both ways.

What is your New Year tradition?

Next up: Good for you Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars!

Meat Pie

I hear that cupcakes are on the "out" list this year, being replaced by pie. This wouldn't surprise me, considering all of the pie, sweet and savory, I've seen seen lately. Why, in my house alone, we had two pies (both totally consumed) on New Year's Day.

The first pie of the day was actually a "tourtière", or a French/Canadian meat pie. My mother-in-law's grandmother was French/Canadian, so tradition in my husband's family is to have Meat Pie every New Year's Day for good luck. I have to tell you, though, that her family has enough "good luck" food traditions, we should be swimming in lottery money by now....pork and sauerkraut, fish that swim forward (?), black-eyed peas (those I've never had)....Meat Pie is the one that I don't mind having.

The recipe for these is pretty easy.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and line an 8" cake pan (I use the foil ones) with pie dough. I used a Pillsbury crust, although my MIL swears by homemade. Then, just peel and dice 2 large baking potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Cover them with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until just tender. Leave them in the water and mush them up a little with a potato masher, then add 3/4 pound ground beef, 3/4 pound ground pork, 1 chopped onion, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the water, adjust the seasoning, and spoon the meat into the 8" cake pan. Top the filling with the remaining pie crust, cut some holes in it to vent, and pinch the pastry together. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, placing foil around the edges of the pie if it starts to brown too much.

Serve the pie wedges with dill pickles (I often use a little ketchup, but don't tell that to anyone of true French/Canadian descent).

We finished the day with my Lemon Angel Pie. Both of these pies could give the cupcake a run for it's money.

What do you think---is pie the new cupcake?