Apple Fritters

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sparkling apple cider
1 large egg, plus 2 large egg whites
3 apples (about 1 pound)—peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch rings
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
1. Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach a depth of 2 inches and heat until it registers 375° on a deep-fry thermometer. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt; form a well in the center of the mixture. Add 1/4 cup cider and the whole egg. Gradually stir the flour into the liquid to form a smooth paste. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cider; let stand until thickened, 5 minutes. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the batter.

2. Working in batches, dip the apple rings in the batter and fry until golden, about 3 minutes, allowing the oil temperature to return to 375° between batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve warm.

Comments:
I had to clean the deep fryer out from all the coconut shrimp debris so I figured it was a good time to try something new (and less messy.) Adam had picked this out a while back and saw it again while he was browsing my recipe binder to pick out his meal for this week. I made them after dinner while he was still laying with his hand above his head, trying not to die. (Men are so melodramatic...)

These are pretty easy. They'd probably have been easier if he hadn't used the vegetable peeler on the potatoes (which I then put in the dishwasher and started) and if I had an apple corer. *sigh* But I made do. They turned out pretty well. Nice and sweet and nice and tart. Just the right balance.