Chinese recipes |
Peking Candied Apples |
Batter: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg -- lightly beaten 3/4 cup water - (about) 2 Granny Smith or other firm green apples Juice of 1 small lemon Syrup: 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds Peanut or corn oil -- for frying |
To make the batter, in a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the egg and 3/4 cup water, adding more water if needed to achieve the consistency of a thick pancake batter. This is the hard-crack stage (300 to 310 degrees). To test the sugar syrup, using a small spoon, scoop up a small amount of syrup and drop it into the ice water. It should harden instantly. At this point, the syrup could easily burn, so lower the heat or set the pan in a bowl of ice-cold water to cool it quickly; keep warm while you make the fritters. Stir in the sesame seeds. Deep-fry, keeping the wedges separated and turning often, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the wedges to paper towels to drain. When all of the wedges have been fried, dip a few of them in the syrup. Turn them with oiled tongs or chopsticks to coat completely with the syrup. Then remove the wedges and set them on the oiled platter, keeping them separate. Repeat with the remaining wedges. |