Sourdough Apple Bacon Fritters w/Maple Bourbon Glaze

This is an Enriched Bread Dough recipe to make eight fritters. If you need more you could easily double it. Bacon fat has been used to enhance the bacon flavor, but it could be replaced with an equal amount of butter.

This recipe is a 2-day process, but it is well worth the effort. You can adjust the timing to fit your schedule so you are not a kitchen slave.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 250 grams flour (all-purpose) and more for dusting
• 115 grams of egg & full-fat milk (1 medium egg and enough milk to weigh 115 grams together)
• 40 grams sugar
• 28 grams bacon fat, cool (if you don't want bacon flavor, use butter instead)
• 100 grams recently fed sourdough starter (my starter is kept at 100% hydration)

For the apples:

• 2 big honey crisp apples (use any type of apple)
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• A smidgen of ground cardamom (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/8 (15g) cup sugar (or more if you like it sweeter)
• 3 slices cooked bacon, chopped

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1¼ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• Reserved syrup from cooking apples
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Directions

DAY 1

9:00 AM

1. Weigh everything for the dough into a bowl and mix until roughly incorporated and cover the bowl.

2. Stretch and fold once an hour for a total of 4 sets over a 4 hour period. Add water or flour to adjust consistency.

1:00 PM

3. Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment for several hours, until it expands a bit and air bubbles form. Fluffy, not totally proofed.

4. While waiting, peel and core the apples, cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.

5. Melt butter in a saucepan, add the apples along with spices and sugar.

6. Cook, stirring for about 10 -12 minutes until the apples are a bit softer and the syrup thickens to coat the apple pieces. Drain the cooking juices (reserve for the glaze) Let cool and refrigerate.

4:00-5:00 PM (when the dough is ready)

7. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper generously dusted with flour and set aside.

8. Flour a bench surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle roughly 15"x10".

9. Scatter the apple pieces and bacon on the dough, press lightly and roll to form a log and then flatten the log with your hand so that it measures about 15"x5".

10. Cut the log into about 10 equal-sized slices. Then cut each slice in the opposite direction into about 3 pieces. Tuck in any apple or bacon pieces as needed. 

11. Scrunch everything back into a rough ball and stretch it out into a rough log tucking the apple and bacon pieces back into the dough. (use flour to stop it from sticking)

12. Once the log is formed, divide it into 8-10 pieces (you can decide how big or small)

13. Take one piece at a time, onto the palm of your hand and form the dough into a disk, tuck any loose apple pieces into the dough, and place it on the baking sheet lined with flour-dusted parchment.

14. Once done cover the baking sheet with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place the tray in the refrigerator until bedtime. (Set a timer so you don't forget.)

15. Remove the baking tray from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for the final proof, overnight, 5-8 hours. When ready, they will look puffed up and the dough will be fluffier and softer.

DAY 2
7:00 AM

16. Place the baking tray back in the refrigerator to chill a bit while heating the oil and making the glaze.

17. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 375°F/190°C.

18. Mix syrup, sugar, milk, and reserved syrup from the cooked apples and bourbon with a whisk.

19. Drop one to two fritters at a time and fry turning (about 60-90 seconds per side) until done.

20. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and drain on a cooling rack over another baking sheet.

21. Drizzle the glaze over fritters while still warm.

Enjoy!