Apple Fritters with a Butter Rum Dipping Sauce

Apple fritters are a nice winter treat, especially late in the afternoon with a hot cup of coffee.  When my family goes apple picking in the fall, we intentionally select various varieties for our pies and desserts. Of course the same variety can be used, but mixing them up gives a delicious flavor.

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 2 baking apples (1 granny smith and 1 gala)
• ½ c flour
• 1 ¼ c self-rising cake flour
• 1 large egg, whisked 
• ¾ c apple cider
• confectionary sugar

Peel, core and cut apples into small chunks.   Mix in ½ c flour to coat apples. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a large bowl, place 1 ¼ c flour.

In medium bowl, mix the egg, cider and 1 T oil and whisk together. Stir with fork until a lumpy batter forms.

In a medium skillet, add enough oil to fry fritters (about 2 inches deep). Once oil is heated over medium-high.

Mix apples into the batter and drop by tablespoon into hot oil to fry.  Don't over crowd the skillet. Turn with a slotted spoon to brown on both sides (about a minute per side). Place on a dish lined with paper towel.  Continue to all the batter is used.

When ready to serve, sprinkle with confectionary sugar.

Butter Rum Sauce

• 1 c sugar
• 3 T butter
• 1/3 c milk
• ¼ c spiced rum
• ½ t cider vinegar
• ¼ c heavy cream

In a double boiler, add all the ingredients except the heavy cream.   Cook until the sugar dissolves.  Whisk in the heavy cream and pour into a stoneware bowl (to retain heat) and serve with fritters.