Serves: 6

Batter for fritters:
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup beer, lukewarm
3 egg whites
Sugar syrup:
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup Calvados or apple brandy
juice of 1 lemon

Prepare batter
Put flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
In a small bowl, stir the yeast in the lukewarm milk and sugar.
Allow to dissolve.
Add yeast mixture, salt and melted butter to the well and gradually whisk in
flour until smooth.
Whisk in beer.
Cover with a plastic wrap and let the batter rise in a warm,
draft-free place for 30 minutes.
Reserve the egg whites that will be beaten and added to the batter
just before frying.

Prepare the syrup:
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat,
stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Add the Calvados or apple brandy and the lemon juice; set aside.
Peel, core, and slice the apples into rounds 1/4 inch thick.
Put the apple slices into a shallow dish.
Pour the syrup over and let macerate, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Remove the apple slices from the syrup.
Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve syrup.

Apricot sauce:
Melt apricot jam in a medium saucepan, and stir in half of the reserved syrup.
Refrigerate remaining for other use. Heat to melt. Strain.
Cover and keep warm. Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a deep-fat fryer.
When the fritter batter has risen, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into the batter.
Dip an apple slice into the batter and then slide it into the oil.
Repeat with 2 more.
Fry until golden brown, turning with a wooden spoon so that they color evenly.
Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in oven while frying remaining fritters.
To serve, arrange the fritters on a platter and sift with confectioner’s sugar
over them just before serving.
Serve the apricot sauce in a sauce boat on the side.

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