Starbucks-Style Gluten Free Apple Fritters

Ingredients

Notes

Instructions

• Prepare the bread dough. If using the Japanese milk bread dough from GFOAS Bakes Bread, prepare the dough through its first rise (See Recipe Notes) and allow it to sit in the refrigerator while you prepare the apples. If using the Japanese milk bread dough from the blog, prepare it according to the recipe directions through step 3 of that recipe, then place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside.

• Cook the apples. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Placed the diced apples, cinnamon and sugar in the pan, and stir to combine. Sauté the apples, stirring occasionally, until they are just fork tender. Remove from the heat and set the pan aside to allow the apples to cool.

• Shape the bread dough. If using the bread dough from the book, turn out the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using the scrape and fold kneading method and a very light touch, sprinkle the dough with more flour and knead it lightly, sprinkling with flour when necessary to prevent it from sticking and scraping the dough off the floured surface with a floured bench scraper, then folding it over on itself. Repeat scraping and folding until the dough has become smoother. Do not overwork the dough or you will incorporate too much flour and it will not rise properly. If using the Japanese milk bread dough from the blog, prepare it according to the recipe directions through step 3 of that recipe. With either dough, line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and spray the paper with cooking oil. This will make it much easier to lift the fritters into the fryer after they have finished rising. Divide the dough in half, then each half into half again and so on until you have 12 equal pieces (each about 3 ounces). Roll each piece of dough into a round, sprinkling lightly with more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, and then pat into a round about 1/2-inch thick. Scatter about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cooked diced apples on top and toward the center of each round, and lift the edges of the dough up and over to seal in the apples. Invert each piece of dough and, sprinkling lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking, pat it into a round about 1/2-inch thick. Place the pieces of prepared dough about 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and set in a warm, draft-free location to rise for 30 minutes, or until puffed but not doubled.

• Fry the fritters. As the fritters are nearing the end of their rise, place about 3-inches of frying oil in a medium-size, heavy-bottom pot or fryer. Clip a deep-fry/candy thermometer to the side of the pot or fryer, and place the oil over medium-high heat to bring the oil temperature to a steady 325°F. Remove the plastic wrap, scatter a few more cooked diced apples on top of each raised fritter and press down gently to help them adhere. Carefully place the fritters a few at a time in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the oil. Fry until very lightly golden brown all over (about 1 1/2 minutes per side). As soon as each batch is removed from the fryer, place on a wire rack placed over paper towels to drain and cool completely.

• Glaze the cooled fritters. While the fritters are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon and 1 1/2 teaspoons of milk. Mix well, until a thick paste forms. Add more milk by the 1/4-teaspoon, mixing to combine well, until the glaze falls off the spoon slowly, in a thick but pourable glaze. Add milk very slowly, as it is much easier to thin, than to thicken, the glaze. If you do thin the glaze too much, add more confectioners’ sugar a teaspoon at a time to thicken it. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled fritters and serve.