Apple Fritters

A very plain drop fritter — no eggs, no butter, no spice — from a period when "fritter" covered anything spooned into hot fat. The proportions as printed need a cook's judgement before anything reaches the pan.

• The batter ratio is the hingeHalf a pint of milk to two tablespoons of flour gives something closer to thin cream than a batter, and it will scatter in the fat rather than set. Add flour by the spoonful until the mixture drops thickly from the spoon and just holds its shape — in practice several times the flour given.
• Half a pintIf this is an imperial half-pint it is 10 fl oz, about 1¼ US cups; an American half-pint would be 8 fl oz. Reduce the milk instead of building up the flour if you prefer to keep the recipe's small scale.
• Carbonate of sodaBaking soda. On its own in sweetened milk it has no acid to work against and will leave a soapy taste if you are generous with it; the "very small quantity" is meant literally, no more than a pinch. Buttermilk in place of the milk, or a teaspoon of lemon juice, gives it something to react with.
• The applesChopped fine, not grated — grated apple weeps and slackens the batter further. A firm tart variety such as Granny Smith or Braeburn holds its shape through frying; avoid a cooker like Bramley, which breaks down.
• Frying fat and heatNo fat is named. About half an inch of neutral oil at 350–365F suits these; the fritters should sizzle steadily and take three to four minutes, turned once.
• Dessert-spoonfulRoughly two teaspoons, so these are small — the size of a walnut when cooked. Keep them well apart in the pan or they run together.
• Yield and servingServing -- Drain on paper and dust with caster sugar; the recipe carries only one spoonful of sugar in the batter itself, so they need it.