Beignets Recipe - New Orleans Style Dessert

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Beignets are little fried bits of dough dusted with powdered sugar (how long does sugar last?). They’re light and fluffy on the inside and a beautiful, tanned brown on the outside. I’ve had my (and other’s) fair share of beignets and I rarely use superlatives when talking about food, but today I'm not going to hold back. New Orleans’ star attraction – Café du Monde makes the best beignets in the world. Yes, the best! The entire trip to this café is a sensory delight. You’re first welcomed by the scent of fresh dough being fried and brewing chicory coffee. Then a plate of golden brown, puffy new Orleans style beignets – covered in powdered sugar, delights your sight and further arouses your tastebuds. Finally, when you bite into it, you feel it in your heart, that these are the best beignets in the world. 

I’ve tried recreating beignets at home, and to be honest, they’re never the same as Café du Monde beignets. But they are pretty great. A good beignet should feel like biting into a pillow of sugar. And that’s exactly what these beignets feel like. So, if hopping on a plane and going to New Orleans, every time you crave hot beignets feels a tad bit too dramatic, try out this recipe, brew some coffee, and you can pass a good time at home itself. 

When making New Orleans style beignets, the one thing to keep in mind, at different stages of the cooking process is the temperature. From activating the yeast to frying the dough, keeping the right temperature is important. The difference between a good beignet and a tough, soggy one is of only a few degrees. 

Blooming the Yeast

When adding hot water to yeast, make sure it’s neither too hot nor too cold. Ideally, the water should be tepid – between 110 and 115°F. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and if it’s too cold won’t activate it. In both cases, the dough will not rise and beignets won’t turn out soft and airy.

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Resting the dough

Once kneaded, the dough needs to rest at room temperature for at least two hours, or you can refrigerate it overnight. 

Frying the dough

To make pillowy soft beignets, it is important to get the oil to the right temperature - 360°F. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough will soak up oil and not puff, and if the oil is too hot then beignets will brown from the outside quickly, but remain uncooked stay uncooked from inside. 

Making New Orleans Style Beignets

Activate the yeast

In a medium bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. Make sure the temperature of the water is tepid and neither too hot or cold. Ideally, around 110 to 115° F. Let it sit for 10 minutes till the mix bubbles up

I always prefer buying a mixing bowl online because of the added convenience!

Make the dough

In another large bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. Add in vanilla, evaporated milk (how long does evaporated milk last?), and whisk again. Gradually add in half the flour - 1 ½ cups (in parts) and mix well. Pour yeast and sugar water, and mix gently till well combined. Add in rest of the flour (how long does flour last?) and salt and knead till the dough is softly firm.  (Alternatively, you can also do this process on a stand mixer. Whisk the egg, vanilla, and evaporated milk at a medium-fast speed. The switch to low while adding in the flour and yeast)

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Cover the dough and let it rest for at least an hour.

Fry the beignets

On a flat, flour-dusted surface, knead the dough gently and spread it out into ¼ inch thick rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into two-inch squares. 

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil reaches 350° F, drop the beignets in one by one and fry them till they’re puffed and golden brown (around 2 minutes each side). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beignets on a paper towel.

Enjoy the convenience of doorstep delivery when you buy a heavy-bottomed pan and slotted spoon online!

Serve New Orleans Style Beignets, with a generous sprinkling of sugar

The secret, to having your beignets taste as good as Café du Monde beignets, is not holding back on the sugar. Sprinkle fried beignets with generous amounts of sugar and serve hot!

Yield: 36

Author: Bea Padilla

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New Orleans Style Beignets

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 45 M

These beignets are light, fluffy, and beautifully tanned brown fried bits of dough with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water, between 110 F and 115 F
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 7 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups peanut oil, for deep frying
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside until the mixture has become foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat eggs until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and evaporated milk. Then, beat in 3 and 1/2 cups of the flour until homogenous. Pour yeast mixture slowly as mixer is on low speed. Beat until smooth. Incorporate and beat in butter. Lastly, beat the remaining 3 and 1/2 cups of flour and salt. Beat until smooth and cohesive, about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 to 24 hours.
3. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with three layers of paper towels and set aside.
4. In a large enameled cast-iron pan, heat 4-inches of oil to 360 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 2 1/2-inch squares.
5. Fry the dough until they puff up and are golden brown in color, about 1 minute. Do this in batches to not overcrowd. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beignets to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve right away!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

369.45

Fat

26.83

Sat. Fat

5.55

Carbs

28.84

Fiber

0.65

Net carbs

28.2

Sugar

11.06

Protein

3.86

Sodium

109.9

Cholesterol

16.63

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