German Apple Fritters (Apfelküchle)

Fall is indeed the season for apples, but you can definitely make this yummy treat the whole year-round! German Apple Fritters (Apfelküchle) with vanilla sauce is great for snack or dessert!  Kids and adults would be asking for more!

My first German recipe post! We’ve been living in Frankfurt since 1st of July – but it took me a while to post one because we were making the most out of summer.  Luckily, I still had some posts scheduled while we were in Stockholm. 

So, off we go exploring the charming towns along the Rhine and Moselle Valley; sampling wines, of course. 😉 Up to this day, I still feel like I’m on summer vacation. 🙂

In case you have not heard, they love their apples here in Frankfurt.  So much so that their favorite drink is made out of it – ‘Apfelwein’ (Apple Wine).  Since making that is too complicated, I decided to start with this simple, but deliciously addictive German apple fritters with vanilla sauce.

HOW TO MAKE GERMAN APPLE FRITTERS (APFELKÜCHE) & VANILLA SAUCE

WHAT TYPE OF APPLE SHOULD I USE FOR THIS FRIED APPLES RECIPE?

You can use whatever type of apple you want. 

Personally, I prefer the green ones, because of their tartness.  It goes so well with the sweetness of the vanilla sauce, plus you can sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on them as well, if you think they’re not sweet enough.

HOW THICK SHOULD I CUT THE APPLES FOR THIS APPLE FRITTERS RECIPE?

Not too thick, but not too thin either.  No more than ¼ of an inch is alright.  I normally get eight round slices from a medium-sized apple; excluding the bottom and the top portions.

CAN I USE BAKING POWDER IN MAKING THESE FRIED APPLES?

To be honest, I’ve never encountered a serving of German apple fritters that used baking powder (so far) – and in case you’re wondering, yes, I did ask (more like interrogated them 😀 ) on how it was done.

They said the traditional way is to use white wine or beer, not baking powder.  So, no-brainer on what I will be using, right?

CAN I USE VANILLA EXTRACT TO MAKE THE VANILLA SAUCE?

You can, but I find that using vanilla pod is noticeably better, both in aroma and flavor. 

Oh!  And this vanilla sauce is more like a custard – so don’t be surprised when you see the consistency of the sauce.

HOW MUCH OIL SHOULD I USE FOR THESE FRIED APPLES?

This will depend on the pan or pot that you use.  But the answer is not too much.  Just enough to submerge the apple fritters a bit, it does not need to be deep-fried.

 Some people even use clarified butter, so definitely not deep frying.

HOW ELSE DO I SERVE GERMAN APPLE FRITTERS?

If you don’t have the time (or ingredients) for the vanilla sauce, no worries. 

Sprinkling them with just sugar and cinnamon is a great alternative. I normally use the ratio of 1:9, that is, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder to every nine teaspoon of regular sugar – but that is just me.  Feel free to play around on your own if you are not happy with my ratio.

If you think sprinkling them with cinnamon-sugar is not enough, you can roll the apple fritters on them instead.  Do this after placing the fried apples on the paper towels.  I have some friends who prefer to serve them this way. Whatever works for you! 🙂

For another easy apple recipe, check out my post on Tuscan Apple Cake.

OR IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE FRUIT RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS – 

• Orange & Mandarin Ricotta Pancakes
• Gorgonzola, figs & walnut triangles
• Mascarpone & Dried Apricot Tart

VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE GERMAN APPLE FRITTERS

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German Apple Fritters (Apfelküchle)

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Fall is indeed the season for apples, but you can definitely make this yummy treat the whole year-round! German Apple Fritters (Apfelküchle) with vanilla sauce is great for snack or dessert! Kids and adults would be asking for more! (VIDEO ABOVE)

Course: Snack

Cuisine: German

Keyword: apple recipes, fruit dessert

Servings: 5

Calories: 347 kcal

Author: Neriz

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Sauce:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 pc vanilla pod, seeds scraped
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp corn starch

For the Apple Fritters:

• 1 egg, separated
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 medium apples
• 1 lemon
• vegetable oil for frying
• cinnamon powder & more sugar (optional)

Instructions

For the Vanila Sauce:

1. Combine egg yolks, ¼ cup of milk and corn starch in a bowl. Mix.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the milk, sugar and vanilla. Mix and bring to a boil.  
3. Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly add the egg yolk mixture, while stirring constantly.
4. Place the saucepan back on the heat and bring to a boil. The sauce will thicken at this point.  
5. Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside for serving.

For the Apple Fritters:

1. In a medium to large bowl, combine egg yolk, wine, sugar and salt. Beat until it gets foamy.  
2. Add flour. Mix.
3. Add melted butter and mix. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.

4. In the meantime, core, peel and slice the apples into rounds (about 1/4 inch thick). Squeeze some lemon juice on the sliced apples to avoid discoloration.

5. Beat the egg white until stiff. Fold the beaten egg white into the batter.
6. Heat up the vegetable oil. Once the oil is ready, turn the heat into medium.  
7. Dip a slice of the apple into the batter and start frying.
8. Once the fritters are slightly brown on both sides, remove them from the pan and place on top of a paper towel (to absorb excess oil).
9. Serve with vanilla sauce and/or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, if desired.

Recipe Notes

NOTE:  To save time, you can prepare the vanilla sauce while frying the fritters at the same time.

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