No. 3037

Apple Fritters and Montagnard Fritters—Glazed and Unglazed

Beignets de Pommes et Beignets Montagnard--Glaces et non Glaces

Core some apples with a column or tin tube five eighths of an inch in diameter; peel them all around, and cut from them slices about a quarter of an inch thick; put to macerate in a little brandy and powdered sugar for one hour, tossing them about often so that they all get well covered. Dip each piece in frying batter (No. 137), and plunge into hot frying fat; when done and of a fine color, drain and dredge over with sugar, then dress on a napkin.

For Glazed Fritters.—When done place them on a baking sheet, bestrew with sugar, and glaze in a hot oven, or under a salamander (Fig. 123); serve dressed on a napkin.

For Montagnard Fritters.—After they have been cooked and glazed as above, cover the tops with a layer of currant jelly placed on with a spoon, then dress on a napkin and serve.

← No. 3036 Alliance Fritters Hot Entremets — Puddings, Fritters & Soufflés No. 3038 Apple Fritters with Prunelle or with Kirsch →

For the Modern Kitchen

Ranhofer gives three finishes from one preparation: plain, glazed, and Montagnard with currant jelly. Nothing here is difficult, but the recipe assumes a professional kitchen and leaves out every number a home cook wants.

The hinge: dry the slicesAfter an hour in brandy and sugar the apple rings are wet, and wet fruit sheds batter in the fat. Lift them out and blot them on a towel before dipping, or the coating will slide off and burst.
Cutting the ringsThe five-eighths-inch tin tube is close in size to a modern apple corer. Peel whole, core whole, then slice crosswise a quarter inch thick so each piece is a ring. Thicker rings will not cook through before the batter darkens.
Apples to useA firm, tart apple holds its shape: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Northern Spy. Softer dessert apples collapse into the batter.
Batter No. 137The cross-reference is to Ranhofer's frying batter, catalogued elsewhere in the book. Any standard light frying batter, or a tempura-style or beer batter, stands in.
Frying fat and temperatureThe book says only "hot frying fat" and gives no number; around 350-360F is a workable modern equivalent. Below that the fritters soak; much above it the sugar clinging to the apple scorches before the centre softens. Fry in small batches.
SalamanderThe salamander of Fig. 123 was the tool used to brown and glaze from above. A modern broiler on its highest setting, rack close to the element, does the same job. Watch continuously — sugar goes from glazed to black in under a minute.
Glaze then jelly, in that orderFor the Montagnard, the currant jelly goes on after glazing, not before. Warm the jelly slightly so it spoons out smoothly, and add it just before serving so it does not soak the crust.
Yield and serviceThree medium apples should give something like 18-20 usable rings, enough for six as a dessert course. Fritters do not hold; the napkin on the platter takes up fat and moisture, and they should leave the fryer for the table.

A Little History

Charles Ranhofer published The Epicurean in 1894 after decades as chef at Delmonico's in New York, and the book is organised as a professional reference — hence the numbered recipes and the constant cross-references to batters, garnishes and stocks catalogued elsewhere. Apple fritters were already ancient by then; fruit fried in batter appears in medieval European cookery, and the French beignet had long been a standard entremets. What distinguishes this entry is the trio of finishes, a habit of the grand-restaurant kitchen: one base preparation extended into several menu items by a dusting of sugar, a pass under the salamander, or a spoonful of currant jelly. The name Montagnard, "mountaineer" or "highlander," is one of the period's decorative garnish names rather than a claim of Alpine origin.