Portzelky (Yeast Fritters or New Year's Cookies) and Apple Fritters

Here is a family favorite that we HAD to have for New Year's, along with Roll Kuchen (please see archived recipe). I can still see my mom slaving over a hot stove making these and I have prepared them myself a few times over the years. This recipe seems closest to the one my mom used:

Portzelky

• 2 pkgs dry yeast
• 2 c milk
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1/2 c butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 lbs golden or sultana raisins - washed and soaked in warm water, then drained
• Enough flour for a soft batter
• Lard or oil to deep-fry fritters

Prepare yeast as directed on package. Warm milk slightly with butter, salt and sugar until slightly warm. Add yeast. Add flour to make a soft batter. Stir in the raisins and mix thoroughly with wooden spoon. Put in a warm place to rise until almost double. Heat lard/shortening (a deep fryer is the safest method) until hot and drop tablespoonsful of dough in. Do not break sponge bubbles. Fry quickly, turning once, until golden and remove with slotted spoon to drain in colander. Serve with a dusting of icing/confectioner's sugar.

Apple Fritters

Mom would make these and fry them in the same fat as the Portzelky, using the fat more efficiently. 

• 1 c flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 1/2 to 2 c peeled, cored and chopped apples

Sift the dry ingredients together. Add eggs and milk and beat well (using mixer if desired). Pare, core and dice apples, adding to the batter and mixing well. Drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat (as above). Fry until golden brown and dust with white or confectioner's sugar.

Austrian Sliced Apple Fritters

Here is an Austrian dish which has been passed on to many farm families in Manitoba. It was one of my mom's favorites, minus any brandy or extras. She simply sliced the apples (she cut them in chunks), let them sit in cold lemon water until ready to use, dunked them in the breading mixture, fried until golden brown in deep, hot oil and served with powdered sugar after draining on paper towel. A delicious treat!

Here is what appears to be the original recipe from an old cookbook. It is followed by a recipe for basic crepe batter and fritter batter.

Sliced Apple Fritters

Ingredients

• 6 Medium Tart Apples — cut into 1/4″ slices
• 3 Tablespoons Dark Rum (my auntie used rum extract - 1 tbsp mixed with water)
• Juice from one lemon
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 Cup Oil — for frying
• 1 Recipe Crepe Batter
• Powdered Sugar

Directions 
Marinate apples in bowl with rum, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Preheat oil in pan to 360 degrees. Draw the apples through the batter and shake off excess. Fry until golden. Drain on the paper towels and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.


BASIC CREPE BATTER

2 eggs
1 1/4 c. (300 ml) milk
1 c. plain flour

2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil

1. Beat together the eggs and milk with a whisk or in an electric blender.2. Sift the flour with the salt and add to the egg and milk mixture.
3. Add the melted butter or vegetable oil and blend thoroughly.
4. If beating by hand, if desired, strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps.
5. Allow the mixture to stand for at least an hour before using. If the batter is too thick, add a little milk and mix.

BASIC FRITTER BATTER
Good for use with banana and apple fritters. You can cut the fruit into small chunks and place in the batter to make fritters or simply follow the first directions as given.
2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour

Use directions (above)