There’s something magical about fall. When the air gets crisp and the leaves change colors, suddenly everything tastes a little better with cinnamon and spice. At the heart of it all, apples. Sweet, tart, juicy, and endlessly versatile, apples are the star of autumn.
It’s apple season and that means it’s Apple Fest time! The Chopping Block has been making our famous apple pie since 1997. This pie is special to TCB and the Lincoln Square community. People come from all over and wait in line just to get a slice of this pie every year. This year we have Bake and Take apple pie classes on both Saturday and Sunday, where you can learn how to make our famous apple pie, and take home your very own pie along with the cast iron skillet it’s baked in. But that’s not all! While the pies are baking students will make a batch of apple fritters - the perfect treat to enjoy while strolling through Apple Fest.
Apple fritters are similar to donuts, they’re both beloved fried pastries but they differ in ingredients, texture, and preparation. Fritters are characterized by chunky ingredients, folded into a batter before deep-frying, resulting in a rustic and unique shape. Apple fritters are sweet, crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of apple flavor - a comfort food classic that blends the best of donuts and apple pie.
Let’s Talk Apples
Not all apples are created equal, especially when it comes to baking. Some varieties completely break down and turn to mush under heat, while others retain their shape and add just the right balance of tartness and sweetness. Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink lady, Jonagold, and Braeburn are all great options for apple fritters.
I like to leave the skin on my apples. Some might say the skin has an odd texture, but I couldn’t disagree more. I think it adds a wonderful texture and helps the apples stay intact a little better. But of course, peel away if you’d like!
Apple Fritters
Yield: 1 dozen
Active time: 30 minutes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
For the batter:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 large red apple such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, cut into ½ inch dice
Oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil)
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk or apple cider
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot until it reaches 365 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the diced apples.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then add the butter. Mix until just combined.
4. Use a large spoon or scoop, carefully drop dollops of the batter into the oil. (Don’t over crowd the pot.)
5. Fry the fritters for about 1-2 minutes per side or until deep golden brown. Adjust the temperature of the burner as they cook to keep the temperature as close to 365 degrees as possible.
6. Using a skimmer, transfer the fritters to a wire rack set over a sheet tray. Allow the fritters to slightly cool before glazing.
7. Stir together the glaze ingredients, and drizzle the glaze over the fritters with a spoon. (Alternatively, the fritters can be sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar while still warm.)
Lincoln Square’s favorite fall tradition kicks off this weekend (Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 5), and we’re ready to celebrate with pie, cider, and plenty of cheer. Grab a slice of our famous apple pie, pair it with a Right Bee Cider, Ellis Farms N/A Apple Cider, or a Laird’s Apple Brandy Mule and soak up the festival fun. Make The Chopping Block your first stop of Apple Fest for the best tastes of the season!
If you have always enjoyed a slice of our famous apple pie at apple fest, now you can recreate the magic and make your very own pie in our hands-on class! Using The Chopping Blocks iconic recipe, each student will work individually to prepare and assemble their apple pie from scratch with our homemade pie dough. All pies will be baked in a pre-seasoned 10” Lodge cast iron skillet which is yours to keep. While the pies are baking, you will prepare a batch of these delicious apple fritters!
Hands-on Bake and Take TCB’s Famous Apple Pie
