Apfelradeln

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet (28cm)
• •Apple corer
• •Wide shallow bowl for batter
• •Slotted spatula or spider
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Whisk the flour, egg, milk, sugar, Vanillezucker, salt, and rum together in a wide bowl until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. It should be the consistency of thick cream, thin enough to coat the apple rings without clinging in heavy globs, but substantial enough that it doesn't slide right off. If it's too thick, add a splash more milk. Let the batter rest for fifteen minutes. The flour needs time to hydrate and the gluten needs to relax, which gives you a tender coating instead of a chewy one.

   The rum is traditional and does real work here. Alcohol evaporates faster than water in the hot pan, which means a crispier coating. If you're cooking for children or prefer to leave it out, the Radeln will still be good, just slightly less crisp.
2. 2

   Prepare the apples

   Peel the apples. Core them using an apple corer, pushing straight through the center to remove the seeds and tough core in one piece. If you don't have a corer, cut the apple in half, scoop out the core with a melon baller or a small spoon, then slice into rings. Cut each apple crosswise into rings about one centimeter thick. You want them sturdy enough to hold their shape in the batter and the pan. Too thin and they'll fall apart. Too thick and the apple won't soften before the coating burns.

   Choose apples that are firm and tart. A soft, sweet apple will turn to mush in the pan. Boskop is the classic Austrian choice. Braeburn and Granny Smith work well outside Austria. Avoid anything mealy or floury.
3. 3

   Mix the cinnamon sugar

   Stir together the three tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon on a wide, flat plate. Spread it out so the hot Radeln can be rolled through it easily. Have this ready before you start frying. Once the first ring comes out of the pan, you won't have time to measure anything.

4. 4

   Heat the frying fat

   Melt a generous knob of butter with an equal amount of neutral oil in a large, heavy pan over medium heat. You want about half a centimeter of fat in the pan. The butter gives flavor, the oil raises the smoke point so the butter doesn't burn. When the fat shimmers and a drop of batter sizzles immediately on contact, you're ready. If the batter sits in the fat silently, it's not hot enough and your Radeln will soak up oil instead of crisping.

   The half-butter, half-oil approach is how Austrian home cooks have always fried Mehlspeisen that aren't Schnitzel. Clarified butter alone works beautifully too, but it's more expensive for the quantity you need here.
5. 5

   Dip and fry the apple rings

   Using a fork or your fingers, dip each apple ring into the batter, let the excess drip off for a moment, then lay it gently into the hot fat. Don't crowd the pan. Three or four rings at a time is plenty. Fry for about two minutes per side, until the batter turns a deep, even gold and the edges look dry and crisp. The apple inside should be soft when you press the ring gently with a spatula. Flip once. If you're flipping more than once, you're fussing and the coating will suffer for it.

   Watch the heat. If the first batch browns too fast, turn the flame down slightly for the next. The sweet batter catches quickly, and there's a narrow window between golden and burnt. Adjust after each batch if needed.
6. 6

   Coat and serve immediately

   Lift the finished Radeln out with a slotted spatula and let them drain on kitchen paper for just a few seconds. While they're still hot, roll them through the cinnamon sugar on the plate, pressing gently so the sugar sticks to the warm surface. Pile them on a serving plate. Dust with a final snowfall of Staubzucker if you want to be generous, and you should. Serve them the moment the last ring comes out of the pan. Apfelradeln wait for nobody. They're at their best when the coating is still crackling and the apple inside is warm enough to release its juice when you bite through. Mahlzeit!

Chef Tips

• •Let the batter rest. I know it's tempting to start dipping immediately, but fifteen minutes of resting makes a real difference. The batter relaxes and coats more evenly, and the finished Radeln come out lighter and crisper.
• •Season is everything with this dish. Make Apfelradeln in autumn when the apples are firm and tart and just picked. A supermarket apple in March that's been in cold storage since October will give you a sad, watery result. If it's not apple season, make Palatschinken instead and come back to these in September.
• •If you're making these for a crowd, keep the finished Radeln warm on a wire rack in an oven set to 80°C while you fry the rest. Don't stack them or the coating goes soft. Spread them in a single layer.
• •Gretel always said the cinnamon sugar coating is not optional. You can dust with plain Staubzucker if you like, but the cinnamon is what makes Apfelradeln taste like autumn instead of just fried batter.

Advance Preparation

• •The batter can be made up to two hours ahead and refrigerated. Give it a quick whisk before using, as it may thicken slightly. Add a splash of milk if needed.
• •Apfelradeln cannot be made ahead. They must be fried, coated, and eaten immediately. Reheated fried batter is a sad thing and I won't pretend otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)