Remember the days when you ate candy or caramel apples? Those sticky softball size treats which promised to suck a molar right out of your head? Yeah, those. Well, with this time of year being apple season and all, it got me to thinking about apples and candy and...frying. Here's a recipe for puffy apple fritters, dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with glass-like caramel.

Apple Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup finely chopped apple (I used Jonagold apples for their firm and tart nature)

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

pinch cinnamon

Directions

While making batter, heat vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot to 370 degrees.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add egg, milk, apple and cinnamon. Stir to combine batter. Drop a teaspoon full of batter into oil and fry until golden on each side.Fry in batches to avoid dropping the oil temperature. Remove and allow to drain on paper towels. Arrange on plate and dust liberally with powdered sugar.

Caramel

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

pinch cream of tartar

Directions

In a heavy bottom pan, heat sugar, water and cream of tartar to 340 degrees*. It will be amber in color. Remove from heat and using a spoon to dip, drizzle over an aluminum foil lined pan which has been sprayed with Pam or any other non-stick spray. Allow to cool and break up caramel. Garnish apple fritters with caramel bits.

*Be careful to avoid heating the caramel over 340 degrees. It will turn brown and taste a bit bitter.