Fried Apple Fritters

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and 3/4 cup water in another bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine (batter will be lumpy).

Heat about 4 inches oil in a medium cast-iron or heavy stockpot until it registers 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Dredge apple rings into flour, shaking off excess; then dip into batter. Working in small batches, fry, flipping once, until dark golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.