There's nothing wrong with a little self-indulgence once in a while, especially around Mardi Gras. When you think of typical Mardi Gras fare, could there be anything more fitting than a hot, fried ball of dough covered in powdered sugar? That's right, we're talking about the beloved beignet. If you can't make it to the Big Easy for this scrumptious treat, you can still get a taste of NOLA by making them at home. Enjoy with a café au lait (equal parts coffee and hot milk, traditionally made with chicory) for a truly authentic beignet experience.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Try a fruit filling, such as peach or raspberry.
Watch the full video to see how.
Servings: 30 beignets
Ingredients
¾ c. lukewarm water
3 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
2 large eggs
½ c. whole milk
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
¼ c. granulated sugar, plus 2 tbsp.
4 c. bread flour, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 c. canola oil, for frying, plus more for greasing
Powdered sugar, for topping
Preparation
Pour the water into a medium bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
Add the eggs, milk, melted butter, and sugar. Whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring with a flexible spatula to form a "shaggy" dough. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until it becomes a smooth ball, about 2 minutes.
Coat a large, clean bowl with canola oil. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down with your fist, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares.
Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.
Using a spatula, lower 3 or 4 dough squares at a time into the hot oil. As soon as the beignets puff up, use tongs or a mesh skimmer to gently turn them over. Fry until light golden brown on both sides (be careful not to get them too dark!), turning as needed, for 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the beignets to a wire rack to drain.
Dust the beignets with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Enjoy!
Recipe provided by Tasty.
