Hungarian apple fritters, Alma pongyolában
Alma pongyolában literally means “apple in a dressing gown”—a lovely old-fashioned Hungarian name for apple rings dipped in a light batter and fried until golden. Crisp on the outside and soft and juicy inside, they are especially delicious served warm with a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.This simple Hungarian dessert is ready in about 30 minutes and is a wonderful way to use fresh apples.
Equipment
- Apple peeler
- Apple corer
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Medium frying pan
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Plate lined with paper towels
Ingredients
- 6 apples
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg white
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour plus extra flour for coating the apple rings
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup sparkling water
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- Lemon juice, for sprinkling over the apples
- 1-1.5 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar and ground cinnamon, for serving
Instructions
- Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar until pale, thick and creamy.
- Add the salt, milk, sparkling water and baking powder. Gradually add the flour and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Gently fold the beaten egg white into the batter, taking care not to knock out too much air.
- Peel and core the apples, then cut them crosswise into ½-inch-thick rings. Sprinkle the rings with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning, then lightly coat them in flour. Shake off any excess.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Dip each apple ring into the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, then carefully place it in the hot oil.
- Fry the apple rings in batches until golden brown on both sides. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Combine the powdered sugar with ground cinnamon and sprinkle generously over the warm apple fritters. Serve immediately.