Apple Fritters - Historic Foodways

Not too long ago, I appealed to one of the lists I am a part of to please help me make my food section of this blog a little more robust. My recipe for teacakes has been very lonely in there for some time now. Luckily Kimberly Costa of Historic Foodways took pity on me and offered that I could feature some of her recipes here for all of you to enjoy. I wandered over to her site, never having been there before, and was pleased to find that the recipes were period recipes with modern adaptations by Kimberly and Mercy Ingraham. Can’t get much better then that can you? I decided that the first recipe I would share with you was the recipe of the month for the month of May, Apple Fritters. Oh and I guess should say here that in the 18th century the word for recipe was receipt. I just prefer to use recipe on my blog.

Apple Fritters by Hannah Glasse in
The Art of Cookery Plain and Easy 1747

Beat the Yokes of eight Eggs, the Whites of four well together, and strain them into a Pan; then take a Quart of Cream, make it as hot as you can bear your Finger in it, then put to it a quarter of a Pint of Sack, three quarters of a Pint of Ale, and make a Posset of it. When it is cool put it to your Eggs, beating it well together, then put a Nutmeg, Ginger, Slat and Flour to your liking. Your Batter should be pretty thick, then put in Pippins sliced or scraped, and fry them in a good deal of Butter, quick.

Modern Adaptation Apple Fritters by Kimberly Costa

2 large or three medium apples; peeled and then scraped with a box grater or chopped fine OR 1 1/2 Cups of dried apple slices cut into small pieces

3 eggs separated, whites beaten until stiff

1 Cup flour

1/4 Cup sugar or to taste

nutmeg , ginger and cinnamon to taste

1/4 tsp rosewater

3/4 to 1 Cup milk or light cream*

Butter for frying (can use lard if desired)

Mix flour with sugar and spices together in a bowl. In another bowl add rosewater to the milk then beat in the three egg yolks until combined. Pour the liquid into the flour/spices and then add the grated apple, stirring together but be gentle! Fold in egg whites. To a hot frying pan (or spider if cooking on the hearth) add 2 TBS butter or lard. Let melt, then using a large spoon drop batter onto hot spider and cook on both sides until done. Spread hot cakes with butter and sprinkle with sugar.

*the batter should be the consistency of modern pancake batter so adjust your milk accordingly. You may also add water if milk is not available.


Thanks Kimberly for letting me share this recipe here. I look forward to trying this one out myself. Stay tuned for more recipes from Kimberly’s site!