Pinching What?

I've been wanting to try making apple fritters for a long time, the only reason I haven't - frying in oil. I decided to give it a try along side another recipe that needed frying. I made a half recipe of these fritters - it still made a lot, I could have done a third... I do have questions about why most of my apples ended up in the fryer oil and not in my fritters. The chopping up the dough and mushing it back together was... interesting but that's what other recipes do too. This recipe calls for pinching dough back together - Andy and I both wondered what that actually meant because it sure didn't make sense. There was nothing to "pinch" together. I did make this dough the night before and let them proof in the fridge over night. When I took the pan out in the morning, nothing had happened, or so it seemed. I put them in the oven with the light on, then added a 9 x 13 pan filled with boiling water to add some warmth and humidity to the oven. That worked because after our morning walk, we came home and they were puffy and looked ready! Frying wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Keeping the temp wasn't the easiest but I did my best. They came out brown and delicious. I did find a lot of apple in the oil after - but it was there, I promise. I would do these again for sure. Maybe try harder to keep the apple on the inside... we'll see.

Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe
Dough
1 cup warm water 115 degrees is perfect
¾ cup buttermilk- room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
5 tbsp butter- melted & slightly cooled
3 tbsp dry active yeast
½ tbsp table salt
2 large eggs- room temperature
5½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1½ quarts canola oil for frying
Filling
4-5 medium apples
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk


Instructions
Dough
In a large mixer bowl, combine the water, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter & yeast, stir & then allow to sit approx 15 minutes for the yeast to proof. (you know it's ready when it's puffed & frothy)
Add in the eggs and salt followed by the flour and cinnamon & mix together slowly using a dough hook until flour is incorporated.
Set on med-low speed & mix/knead 10 minutes
Once mixed, let rest 10 minutes while you make your filling.
Prepare the filling
Peel, core, & chop the apples into small pieces.
Place a large saucepan over medium heat, & melt the butter.
Add sugar & stir it in until the sugar melts.
Add the apples, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, & apple cider vinegar.
Cook the apples, stirring occasionally until they are golden & caramelized, & almost all of the liquid has evaporated from the pan. (15-20 minutes)
Scrape the apples into a shallow pan or bowl, and refrigerate them until they're room temperature or cooler.
Assemble & cook
Dust your work surface with flour & turn dough out onto your work surface.
Roll it into a thin layer about 1/2-inch thick.
Spread half of the apples over half of the dough.
Fold the dough over on itself, and press down gently to seal the apples into the middle of the dough.
Press the dough out into a thin rectangle again, flour it as necessary to keep it from sticking.
Add the rest of the apples on half of the dough, and fold it over itself again. (This process helps distribute apples randomly throughout the dough layers.)
Pat the dough back into a thin rectangle.
Use a bench scraper or large sharp knife to cut the dough into small squares, about 1½" or so. Line two baking sheets with parchment
Gather together about 4-5 squares (total weight 2.5-3 oz) & press them together into a patty, pinching them at the top to help secure them. (it's okay for them to be odd shaped or for some apples to poke out)
Place a fritter on a baking sheet, then repeat until all of your fritters are formed.
Cover the fritters loosely with a cloth and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
Toward the end of the fritter rise time, preheat the frying oil into a medium-large saucepan, and insert a deep fry thermometer.
Turn the heat to medium and heat until the oil reaches 350 F.
(During the frying process, keep a close eye on the thermometer and monitor the temperature carefully.)
Place 2-3 fritters at a time in the oil and fry them for 1-2 minutes per side, until they are puffed and golden brown.
Once cooked, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon & place them on a paper-towel lined wire rack to cool.
Repeat with the remaining fritters. (keep a close eye on your oil temperature & adjust your heat accordingly)
Glaze
Whisk together all glaze ingredients.
Drizzle on the fritters, or spoon it on.