There are certain fried foods we're always game to make because they're so delicious they are well worth the effort. Case in point? These pear fritters. Our favorite time of year to pull these fritters out is the holiday season because they’re filled with ginger and spice and all things nice!
Prepare The Oil For Deep Frying: Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot (a cast iron pot or Dutch oven works great) with 2 inches of vegetable oil, attach a deep frying or candy thermometer to the side of the pot, and warm the oil over medium-high heat until it’s at 350°F. (Keep an eye on the oil so it doesn’t overheat or splatter — it will probably take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to heat depending on the type of pot and type of stove you’re using.)TIP: You can also use vegetable shortening insteead of vegetable oil.
Make The Pear Fritter Batter: Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the 2 1/2 cups of diced pear with 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, all the lemon juice, and lemon zest and stir to coat the pear pieces in the sugar. Set aside to macerate until the pears let off some juice, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the 2 egg whites, the 1 whole egg, all the milk, and the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until the eggs are broken up and everything is smooth. In another large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with the 2 teaspoons of baking powder, the 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of the ground ginger. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Stir in the macerated pear mixture (juice and all!) until everything is evenly combined.
Make The Ginger Sugar: Mix together the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar with the remaining ground ginger and whisk to evenly combine. Place the ginger sugar on a shallow large dish or in a paper bag. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a paper towel and get a slotted spoon out. TIP: Ginger sugar can be made up to one week ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Fry The Fritters: Once the oil is hot, begin frying the pear fritters. Carefully drop the pear fritter batter by 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls (a #30 cookie scoop works great for this) into the hot oil.You should be able to fry anywhere from 4 to 8 fritters at once — just make sure there’s enough room in the pot so the fritters don’t crowd the pot and the oil temperature doesn’t drop below 325°F).Fry the fritters until they’re brown and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes (adjust the heat as needed to make sure the oil temperature stays at 325°F). Serve The Pear Fritters: Remove the cooked fritters with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place the drained and still warm fritters into the sugar mixture and toss them to coat them in the ginger sugar. Serve warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. TIP: Fried pear fritters can be held in a low (about 200°F) oven until ready to serve. Or you can fry them a day in advance and warm them in a low oven before serving.