DIY Beignets New Orleans Style In New Orleans, beignets are identified as breakfast. For people around the United States who have experienced them, beignets are fluffy, soft, slightly sweet doughnuts that are dusted with powdered sugar and eaten whenever they get a chance to do so. These fritters were traditionally served with fruit, but now they’re generally available as fried dough bites that can be popped right into your mouth without a fork. You don’t have to travel to New Orleans to experience a delicious beignet, though. Make them at home with this simple recipe.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 7 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup shortening Vegetable oil for frying
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions for making beignets: Combine the warm water with sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Allow the yeast to proof for 10 minutes, until it’s foamy along the surface of the water. Meanwhile, mix the eggs, salt and evaporated milk in a separate bowl, whisking well. When the yeast mixture is proofed, add the egg mixture to the bowl with the yeast in it, combining it completely. Stir in 3 cups of flour until the mixture is well combined. Add the shortening to the combination. Once the shortening is mixed in, stir in the remaining flour, using your hands if necessary.
Invert the dough on a counter or cutting board that’s dusted with flour and knead the dough until it’s smooth. Transfer it to a large bowl that’s coated with vegetable oil and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Leave it undisturbed for 2 hours or put it in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours if you plan to complete the recipe later. When you’re ready to make the beignets, fill a Dutch oven about halfway with vegetable oil. Heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the dough until it’s about ¼-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, slice it into 2-inch squares. Fry the squares in the oil a few at a time. Don’t crowd them in the Dutch oven.
Allow them to float and rotate freely. Continue to rotate them until they’re golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. The best part is testing the first beignet. Once it’s cool, bite into it. If it’s fluffy and hollow inside, soft and pillowy without being doughy, it’s perfect. Continue to cook the rest of the dough in this manner, dusting the finished beignets with confectioner’s sugar.
