Banana Fritters

I've been growing weary of my Banana Walnut Muffins (which I often alter and add mini chocolate chips instead of walnuts!).  I've been making them frequently when I have overripe bananas.  I just could not face making another batch today on my normal Tuesday cooking day.  I had two very large, very overripe bananas (you'll see the recipe calls for 3 medium, these two would have been 3 medium).  I went in search of something different to do with them.

Below is an adapted recipe from an Everyday with Rachael Ray for Banana Fritters.  If you are not gluten-free, follow her recipe, no need for modifications.

Another recommendation I have is to heat up the oil while you are preparing the batter.  If left to sit too long, the batter really GROWS! :)  The recipe calls for a lot of baking powder.  I thought it was too much at first, but, it makes sense with how light and airy these turn out!

The other alteration I made was using powdered sugar to finish vs. granulated.  I prefer this to add some sweetness.  I do believe that these would also make delicious pancakes!

BANANA FRITTERS

1 Cup GF Flour Blend
2 Tbs Baking Powder (confirm it's a GF one, not all are!)
1/4 tsp Salt
2 Tbs Brown Sugar (I used only two, if you like sweeter, you could add more)
1/2 Cup Half & Half
1 egg, beaten
3 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered Sugar

In a pot, start 1" of Vegetable Oil warming to 365 degrees (I used unrefined coconut oil, not extra virgin).

In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.  Whisk in half & half and egg.  Stir in mashed banana.

Drop tablespoons full of batter into oil, frying in batches.  I put about 3 in at a time as I was using a small pot.  Flip them over with you can see the browning on the edges.  Allow to finish frying.  Remove from oil and drain.

While the fritters are still hot, dust liberally with powdered sugar, this will allow the sugar to melt and become like a glaze on the fritters.

Enjoy.  Rachael Ray's recipe says this serves 6.  Not the way I eat them, it doesn't!!!! :)  LOL!!!  ENJOY!!!!!

Baked Cinnamon Cake Donuts

Let's face it, I love a good donut.  I cannot lie.  I might be Homer Simpson.  I don't necessarily drool over donuts, but I could very easily.  The local GF Bakery has lovely donuts, they're fried.  I have no patience for frying anything.  I'm more of a baker.

Recently while reading a magazine, I noticed a recipe for a baked cinnamon donut.  Sigh.  Called for real flour.  Started my brain churning.  My wonderful friend, Amy, gave me a donut pan and a long-john pan for Christmas.  So, I had the hardware.  It's making the software work that's the key.

Now, if you're looking for dense cake donuts, this is not that recipe.  If you're looking for light and fluffy yeast donuts, this is not that recipe.  If you're looking for something in the shape of a donut with a light and fluffy texture, this is the donut for YOU!  (and for me, I loved them!!!!)  When you let them cool, the exterior gets a sticky/crunchy outside with a soft fluffy inside.  I enjoyed that very much.  Even better, drip frosting over them.  Or douse them in butter and then cinnamon sugar.  The donut part itself is not overly sweet.

As with anything, confirm your sources for your ingredients are gluten-free.  I choose to use a lot of items from Aldi because they are clearly labeled when they are truly gluten-free.

Baked Cinnamon Cake Donuts

2 Cups GF Flour Blend (use your personal favorite here)
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 Tbs Baking Powder
1 Tsp Xanthan Gum
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
2 Tbs Unsalted Butter, melted
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

OPTIONAL:
1 Tub of Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting (yep!  Gluten-free!!!)
OR
4 Tbs melted Butter
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tbs Cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, butter and vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients (also known as the "muffin method", thank you AB).  Mix until combined, do not over mix.

Gently spoon into a donut pan or long-john pan.  Bake for 17-19 minutes (long-johns will take 25 minutes or more) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan for about 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, I melted about 1/4 cup or so of the Betty Crocker in a bowl for 8 seconds and gently spooned over the cooled donuts.  This will allow it to cool as a thick glaze on top.

Enjoy!!!