Cinnamon Fritters with Pumpkin Spice Caramel Sauce

For the fritters:
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour through salt). In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow oil to come to about 370 F. Using a small cookie scoop, spoon batter and drop into the hot oil (don’t crowd the pan). Cook fritters for 3 minutes turning as they cook. Remove the cooked fritters from the oil and place onto paper towels to drain. Continue with remaining batter. When fritters have cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with caramel sauce.

For the caramel sauce:
In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine brown sugar, cream, butter and salt. Stir until mixture begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in vanilla and cook another minute. Remove from heat and allow caramel sauce to cool.

Makes approximately 2 dozen fritters.

Fritters adapted from Bobby Flay.