Gluten-Free Apple Fritters

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 1 box Chebe original cheese bread mix
• 1 1/2 cups white rice flour
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water, warm
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk, warm
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oil or nonstick cooking spray for greasing the bowl
• For the apples:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
• For frying:
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• For the glaze:
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 4 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the Chebe mix with the white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cinnamon, xanthan gum, salt, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar, whisking until evenly blended. Put this aside. In a small bowl, stir the warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar until the sugar has melted in. Sprinkle in the yeast and whisk again so it dissolves. Leave it alone until it has expanded to twice its size, about 5 minutes. If you do not see bubbling or growth, the yeast is no longer active; toss it and begin again with a fresh packet.
2. Stir the warm milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract into the yeast mixture. Add that liquid mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients, then mix with a wooden spoon until the dough gathers into a firm ball. Coat your work surface generously with flour, then move the sticky dough onto it. Sprinkle the dough with white rice flour and knead until it becomes smooth, about 1 minute. Oil a medium bowl lightly, set the dough inside, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it until it has grown to twice its size, about 2 hours.
3. Make the apples: Put the butter and dark brown sugar in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Warm them over medium heat, stirring now and then, until melted together. Add the apples and stir to coat. Cook until the apples have softened just a bit and taken on a slightly deeper color. In a small bowl, whisk the cider with the cornstarch, then pour that mixture into the skillet. Stir, bring everything to a boil, and cook until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Spoon the apples into a bowl and let them cool.
4. Once the dough has doubled, deflate it with your hand or stir it down using a wooden spoon dusted with rice flour. Mix in the cooled apples. Cover the dough again and let it rise until it is close to doubled, about 1 hour.
5. Fry the fritters: Cover a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour the oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or wok, and heat it to 350 degrees F. Adjust the flame as needed while you cook so the temperature stays there. With two spoons, gently slide portions of dough, about 2 tablespoons each, into the oil. Fry until the edges become golden brown, then turn and cook the other side the same way. Lift the fritters out with a wire skimmer and set them on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the dough has been fried.
6. Make the glaze by whisking together the confectioner's sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then set a wire rack on top. Dip the fritters into the glaze one at a time, let the extra glaze drip off, and place them on the rack.
7. These fritters are at their best on the day they are made, though they can be kept overnight. Put any leftovers on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap.