Apple fritter

Pat the apple pieces dry, fold them into a thick batter and fry in small batches at about 175 °C. Keep the oil temperature steady and drain the fritters on a wire rack, not stacked on kitchen paper.

Firm, tart apples such as Bramley or Granny Smith hold their shape and balance the sweet batter. Cut them into small, even pieces so they cook through before the outside gets too dark.

Yes, but they will be more like little apple cakes than crisp, deep-fried fritters. Spoon the batter onto a lined tray and bake at 200 °C until puffed and golden, usually around 15–20 minutes.

They are best eaten on the day they are fried; once cool, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180 °C for a few minutes to crisp the outside; avoid the microwave, which makes them soft.

Serve them warm with a dusting of icing sugar, cinnamon sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup. They also go well with custard, vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche.

No. Apple fritters usually have visible chunks or slices of apple in irregular, craggy batter, while apple doughnuts are typically shaped as rings or rounds and have a more even crumb. Apple doughnuts have 194 kcal per 100 g, compared with 265 kcal in apple fritters.

Not quite: apple slices in frying batter are usually thin rings or slices coated individually, whereas apple fritters are often spooned into the oil as a mound of batter with chopped apple. Apple slices in frying batter have 197 kcal per 100 g, compared with 265 kcal in apple fritters.