Pumpkin and Corn Fritters

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• Cane syrup or maple syrup, for drizzling (recommended: Steen's)
• Powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions

Heat an 8-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the corn to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Season the corn with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the white pepper. Continue to cook the corn, stirring often, for an additional 5 minutes. Remove corn from pan and set aside on a plate to cool. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and whisk to combine. When the corn is cooled, fold it into the pumpkin base. Gently stir the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and baking soda into the pumpkin base. Stir just until the ingredients are combined, so as not to over-mix. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

In a large 6-quart pot, heat the vegetable oil to 325 degrees F. Remove the fritter batter from the refrigerator and carefully spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of the fritter batter into the hot oil to fry. Cook no more than 6 at a time, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning when necessary, until the fritters are a golden brown. Remove the fritters from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Transfer to an aluminum foil pie pan and place in oven until all of the fritters have been made.

To serve, pile the fritters onto a serving plate and drizzle with cane syrup. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while hot.