Chunky Brioche Apple Fritters (4 different types of apple)

Recently, I have been trying to get a bit more familiar with deep frying!! (SOOO intimidating but so so much easier than it seems!!) Today we made these apple fritters with four different types of apples. Don't ask me why I wanted to use four apple varieties...it just sounded right. I feel like each apple has it's own taste and shines in this recipe!

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The perfect fall breakfast or dessert!

These apple fritters are bakery style at home!! I used a brioche dough instead of the wet batter that is usually used for apple fritters. It created fluffy buns that will pair perfectly with coffee in the morning. I will be definetley be making these for my next coffee shop at home. This recipe isn't perfect yet, but I update all my blog posts often as recipes become better and better over time! I love the rustic, cozy look of these apple fritters. They are so messy and chunky and that's the best part!!

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• ½ cup whole milk warm (115 degrees f)

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted or softened

• 2 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1½ teaspoons instant yeast

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour + a pinch for dusting and rolling

Apple Filling

• 4 apple varieties of your choice (I used cosmic crisp, honey crisp apples, sugar bee apples, and pink lady apples

• ⅓ brown sugar

• ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I love the one from Trader Joe's)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• Splash of apple juice

Donut Glaze

• 2½ cups powdered sugar

• Dash of apple juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

• dash pumpkin pie spice

Frying

• 70 fl oz vegetable oil or canola oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

Donut Dough

• Mix together the milk, sugar, butter and eggs using a stand mixer and it's dough attachment

• Add salt, instant yeast, and flour and allow the stand mixer to knead the dough for five minutes

• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with parchment paper, and allow it to rise. About 1 hour.

• Begin working on the apple filling

Apple Filling

• Peel and dice the apples into small pieces. I like to do mine in different sizes to create a more rustic look. Add apples into a frying pan with the brown sugar, a dash of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Cook until the apples begin to soften and caramelize a bit.

• Create a slurry by mixing together corn starch and the dash of apple juice. It should be thick but not clumpy.

• Allow the filling to cool

Assembly

• Bring the dough to a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle

• Add the apple filling and spread it evenly

• Fold the short sides of the dough together to seal

• Cut the dough with a bench scraper (into small rectangles) then mix it all up with the bench scraper until apples are distributed across dough. If you are confused with this step, feel free to watch my video recipe here

• Form the pieces into about 8 small fritters or 6 large fritters (I opted for smaller ones this time but do think the larger ones will be tasty!!)

• Add a dash of flour on top of them to help absorb moisture

• Transfer these to a parchment lined dish

• Add your oil into a cast iron and heat it until it reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Frying the Donuts

• Check the oil temp with a thermometer and make sure it is at temp

• Add 1-2 apple fritters to and fry for 2-3 mins on each side (depending on how golden brown you want them) I feel like I overdid mine for just a few seconds. Fry them a bit less to ensure they are not dry

• Cool the donuts on a drying rack for about 25 mins before glazing

Glaze

• Whisk together the powdered sugar with the cinnamon, vanilla, and apple juice and set aside. Add a dash of water if the glaze is too thick

• Dunk the donuts into the glaze and dry them on a drying rack

• Allow the glaze to set and enjoy!

Pro tip: When frying, allow your eyes and intuition to guide the process. Each fritter will most likely vary a little bit in size and thickness so be sure to take them out of the fryer once they are golden brown. No more no less. If you fry them too long, they can become a bit dry!

next time I make these, I will fry them about 30 seconds less on each side so they are a bit more moist! They turned out delish but I want them a tiny bit less crunchy. Do these to your own taste!