Grazing with Gary: An apple recipe a day … for cider donuts, fritters, strudel

Happy fall with yo-yo weather. Cold then hot, then cloudy, then cold, and now warm. Who knows how to dress on cold mornings and warm afternoons? But this is another week full of fun. The big event is at Recreation Park with the Harvest Festival. This is a full day of events starting with the giant pumpkin weigh-in, scarecrow contest and costume contest. Food, music, vendors and fun. Ghost tours begin in Old Town Auburn for the first night of sold-out fun. Folsom is hosting Swim with the Pumpkins on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Fun for the entire family. This week, since I loaded up on apples from the Orchard at Apple Lane Harvest Kick off, we will feature my favorite apple recipes. Well, I want to save you a trip to Apple Hill, and let's make some donuts at home. First, we have the famous apple cider donuts. Your family will want these every day; they are that good. Next, what is a tribute to apples if we don't have apple fritters. These are my favorite donuts, and this recipe is great. I might sneak in some extra apples into the ones I make. Last, with Oktoberfest going on, every meal should end with strudel. Apple Cider Donuts Ingredients · 2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick) · 1 cup flour · 1/4 cup sugar · 1 1/2 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice (or a bit more if you like) · Pinch of salt · 1 egg, beaten · 1 cup apple cider · Vegetable oil for frying, about 4 cups · 1 cup sugar · 1 teaspoon cinnamon Instructions Combine baking mix, flour, sugar, spice and salt in a large bowl, fluffing with a fork to mix. Beat the egg and add the cider. Add the egg/cider mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until it is a sticky thick batter. Add more baking mix by tablespoonsful if necessary, it should be like a very thick pancake batter. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat a deep, wide pot or a wok over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 3 inches. Use a thermometer to check the oil. It should be at 350 degrees F before you add any donuts. Use a small ice cream scoop or a large melon baller to measure out portions and drop the batter into the oil about 6 at a time. They will bob and roll so use a wire sieve or tongs to keep them frying on one side at a time. Fry for 3 minutes and then turn and continue to fry for another 3 minutes, or until they reach a medium brown color – if the balls are larger than 1 inch, they may take a bit more time but adjust the heat. Keep the oil at 350 continuously so that they do not get too brown before the center is cooked. Use a wire sieve or slotted spoon to remove the donuts to a wire rack set over paper towels in a baking sheet and continue to fry the rest of the dough. While each batch is frying, drop the finished donuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture while still warm and toss to coat, then return to the wire rack to finish cooling. Apple Fritters Ingredients Dough: · 1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry or instant yeast · 1/2 cup warm water · 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar · 2 cups bread flour, spooned and levelled, plus more, as needed (can use all-purpose flour.) · 1/4 cup white granulated sugar · 1/4 teaspoon baking powder · 1/4 teaspoon mace, (can substitute nutmeg) · 1 teaspoon salt · 2 Tablespoons shortening or lard, (can use vegetable oil) · 1 large egg · 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste For the apples: · 2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. · 1/4 cup white sugar · 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice For assembling: · 4 teaspoons cinnamon · 1 Tablespoon bread flour Glaze: · 2 cups confectioners/icing sugar · 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup, or golden syrup · 1/4 teaspoon salt · 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract · 1 Tablespoon white sugar · 1/3 cup water For frying: · Vegetable oil, for frying (or similar, neutral-tasting oil) Instructions 1. For the dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the yeast to the warm water. Add the sugar, stir and let stand 5 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, mace, and salt. Set it aside. 3. When yeast is ready, add the shortening, egg and vanilla and mix with the PADDLE attachment on low speed for 1 minute (to break up the shortening). Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add a second third of the flour mixture and again, mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour mixture. Knead with the hook until all that flour is incorporated. If dough is sticky, start adding flour in 1 Tbsp. increments, until the dough comes together, clears the bottom of the bowl and is becoming smooth. Knead on medium for about 2 minutes more. The dough should be smooth but still a bit moist (but not sticky). 4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour). 5. Meanwhile, make the apple filling. Place the diced apples, sugar and lemon juice into a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated, and the apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl to cool completely before using. 6. When bread has finished its first rise, remove to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10-inch x 10-inch square. Sprinkle the apples over one half of the dough. Sprinkle all the cinnamon evenly over the apples and then sprinkle with the 1 Tbsp. flour. Fold the empty side of the dough over the side with the apples. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips from top to bottom. Repeat cutting 1/2-inch strips from side to side, so you end up with small chunks of dough. Gather up the dough bits and cut some more, from different directions, until it is in small chunks and evenly mixed with cinnamon/apples/dough etc. 7. Using floured hands, roughly shape into a 12-inch-long x 3-inch-wide log. Cut the log into 1-inch slices. With each slice, roughly pat into a disc, about the size of your palm (use some additional flour, as needed, if your dough is sticky). Place the dough discs onto a parchment lined or floured baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches of room around each. Repeat with all 12 dough pieces. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and set aside to rise until doubled again, about 30-45 minutes (approximately. Will vary depending on room temperature. The fritters should double in size and look puffy). 8. When the fritters are almost risen, prepare the glaze. Add the icing sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Set it aside. 9. In a small saucepan, bring the water and white granulated sugar to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 minute. Add this mixture to the bowl with the icing sugar and whisk until all the sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. (You don't want any lumps :) Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until needed. 10. When dough is about ready to cook, heat oil in a deep fryer to 370° (alternately, use a heavy deep pot and a thermometer to monitor temperature). Fry each donut until deep golden on the underside (1 1/2 - 2 minutes), flip over and fry the other side. (* Time and temperature may need to vary. Watch closely the first few to determine timing. If they seem to be browning too quickly, lower temperature slightly or likewise, if they seem to be taking too long to brown, raise the temperature slightly). Remove to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. If there are any loose apples in the frying oil, scoop out between batches so you don't have any apple pieces burning in the oil and causing bitter flavors. 11. While the fritters are still quite warm (as soon as they are cool enough to handle), dip into prepared glaze and return to cooling rack to cool completely. * Stir the glaze mixture regularly during the process, to keep it nice and smooth. Apple Strudel Ingredients · 4 large Granny Smith apples cored, peeled, and diced. · 1 cup sugar · 2 tablespoons unsalted butter · 2 tablespoons cornstarch · 1 teaspoon cinnamon · 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg · 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt · 1/4 cup water plus extra for sealing the dough · 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry thawed · 1 egg beaten Glaze: · 1 stick unsalted butter melted · 1 teaspoon vanilla · 3 tablespoons milk · 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt · 2-3 cups confectioners' sugar Instructions 1. Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. 2. In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, sugar, butter, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and water. Stir to combine. Cook at medium heat for about 7 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Set aside and allow the apple mixture to cool. 3. In the meantime, unfold your puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to make each puff pastry sheet about 15% larger in size. 4. Place half of the cooled apple mixture down the middle one-third of one puff pastry sheet. 5. Use a sharp knife to cut horizontal strips along both the left and the right outer thirds of the puff pastry. (Make about 16 strips on each side.) 6. Lightly moisten the ends of all the strips with water. Then fold the strips over the top of the apple mixture. To create a braided look, first fold over a strip from the left, then a strip from the right. Continue left, right, left, right until all of the strips are in place. 7. Seal both ends with a little water. 8. Repeat this process with the rest of the apple filling and the second puff pastry sheet. 9. Transfer both strudels to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. * Brush with beaten egg. 10. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the strudel to cool slightly. 11. In the meantime, prepare a glaze by whisking together the butter, vanilla, milk, kosher salt, and confectioners' sugar. Start with 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add more to create a glaze that is thick but still can be drizzled. (If the glaze becomes too thick, add a bit more milk to thin it.) 12. Slice and serve warm.