Beignets are sweets characterized by a soft and light texture. They are fried and served hot, often accompanied by a hot cup of coffee. Although they are typical of New Orleans, you can enjoy them anywhere and anytime, by making a few simple changes to the recipe. Don't forget to add a sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving!
Ingrediants
Classic Beignets
- 6, 5 g of active dry yeast
- 350 ml of warm water
- 100 g of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt (5 g)
- 2 eggs
- 240 ml of unsweetened condensed milk
- 900 g of flour 00
- 60 g of edible fat or softened butter
- 1 liter of vegetable oil
- 30 g of powdered sugar
Doses for a large tray
Beignet Without Active Dry Yeast
- 400 g of flour 00
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder (10 g)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (5 g)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar (12 g)
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 240 ml of water
- 240 ml of milk
- 1 large egg
- Peanut oil, canola oil or sunflower seeds for frying
- Powdered sugar to taste
Doses for a large tray
Beignet Made with a Pancake Mix
- 150 g of pancake mix
- 80 ml of milk
- 500 ml of oil for frying
- Powdered sugar to taste
Makes for a medium tray
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Classic Beignets
Step 1. Dissolve the yeast in a bowl filled with warm water
Pour 350 ml of water into a bowl and heat it in the microwave until it reaches a temperature of around 40 ° C. Then, add 6.5 g of active dry yeast. Stir to dissolve the yeast.
- You may also need to let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes for it to dissolve completely.
- Active dry yeast can be found in any supermarket.
Step 2. Add unsweetened condensed milk, sugar, eggs and flour
Mix 240ml of unsweetened condensed milk, 100g of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 eggs. Once you have mixed everything well, add 500 g of flour and mix until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture. You may want to pour in one cup of flour at a time to make the process easier. To mix, you can use a fork, spoon or silicone spatula.
Advise:
to make the beignets even sweeter, add more sugar and a few teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Step 3. Add the cooking fat and the remaining flour
Now, add 60g of edible fat or softened butter and the last 400g of flour. Mix everything with a spoon or a silicone spatula, then knead the mixture with your hands until you get a round dough.
Step 4. Let the dough rest in a cool place for 24 hours
Cover the bowl with cling film, then put it in the fridge and let it cool for 24 hours, so that the dough has plenty of time to rise.
Step 5. Roll out the dough and cut it into squares
Flour a flat, clean surface, such as the kitchen counter, then separate the dough into several pieces and flatten one piece at a time with a rolling pin until you get an even thickness of about 3-6 mm. Cut the dough into squares of about 5 cm.
- To get the squares, you can use a knife or a pizza cutter wheel.
- This recipe allows you to obtain a rather abundant dough. If you don't want to use it all at once, you can cover it and keep it in the fridge for a week.
Step 6. Heat the oil in a large saucepan until it reaches a temperature of around 180 ° C
Heat about 1 liter of vegetable oil in a large saucepan until it reaches a temperature of approximately 180 ° C. Make sure there is enough oil in the pot to fully submerge the beignets.
You can also use a deep fryer to cook beignets
Step 7. Fry a handful of beignets at a time until golden
Dip 3-4 beignets at a time in the oil with extreme care. Let them fry for 2-3 minutes, then flip them with a spoon or tongs and repeat. As they cook, they should surface and swell. They will be ready once golden!
If the beignets don't come to the surface, the oil isn't hot enough
Step 8. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let the excess oil drain
When cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon. Place them on a tray or baking sheet lined with 2 layers of kitchen paper so that it can absorb the oil.
Proceed with frying the remaining beignets
Step 9. Serve the beignets hot with a sprinkle of powdered sugar
Once they have cooled down a bit, arrange them on a platter to serve. Add a sprinkle of powdered sugar and bring them to the table!
- To get a smoother sugar coating, place the beignets in a bag along with 30g of powdered sugar and shake it gently.
- You can also experiment with other toppings, accompanying them for example with fruit or chocolate sauce.
- Beignets don't keep fresh for long and taste best when served right after cooking. If you want to get ahead with the preparations, make the dough and store it in the fridge for a week using an airtight container. Then, fry the beignets just before serving!
Method 2 of 3: Beignet Without Active Dry Yeast
Step 1. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and nutmeg
To start making beignets without active dry yeast, pour 400 g of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of chemical yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg into a large bowl. Beat everything with a whisk.
Did you know that?
For these beignets, chemical yeast is used instead of the classic one, in order to favor the leavening of the dough.
Step 2. Beat the water, milk and egg, then add them to the dry ingredients
Take a second bowl to mix 240ml of water, 240ml of milk, and one large egg. Whisk everything together, then pour the mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Beat the dry and wet ingredients until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Step 3. Roll out the dough and cut it into squares
Prepare a clean, dry surface to roll out the dough by sprinkling a thin layer of flour over it. Take a piece of dough and roll it out with a rolling pin until you get a uniform thickness, about 3-6 mm. Then, divide it into squares of about 5 cm using a knife or a pizza cutter.
If you don't want to cook all the dough right away, put it in a bowl and cover it with a sheet of cling film. You can keep it in the fridge for a week
Step 4. Pour the oil into a saucepan or deep fryer about 5-8 cm full and heat it to a temperature of approximately 180 ° C
Pour sunflower, peanut, or canola oil into a large saucepan or deep fryer. Turn the gas or deep fryer to maximum until it reaches a temperature of around 180 ° C.
Step 5. Fry a handful of beignets at a time for 2-3 minutes per side
Dip 3-4 squares into the oil at a time using a spoon or your hands. Fry them for about 2-3 minutes, then turn them with tongs or a spoon. Fry them on the other side for 2-3 minutes, until golden all over.
Beignets should surface and swell during cooking. If they do not float, it means that the oil is not hot enough
Step 6. Remove the beignets with a slotted spoon to drain the excess oil
When cooked, remove the beignets from the oil with a slotted spoon. Place them on a plate or baking sheet lined with a few layers of kitchen paper, so that it absorbs the excess oil.
Step 7. Repeat the process with the remaining beignets and eat them hot
Continue to fry the remaining beignets. When you are ready to serve them, place them on a tray and add a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
- You can also garnish them with chocolate sauce or fresh fruit.
- To sprinkle the sugar evenly, pour it into an airtight bag. Place the beignets in it, then close it and shake it to gently coat them in sugar.
- After being fried, beignets don't keep fresh for long. If you want to get ahead with the preparations, make the dough and store it in the fridge for a week using an airtight container. Then, fry them just before eating them!
Method 3 of 3: Beignets Made with a Pancake Mix
Step 1. Mix the pancake mix and milk in a large bowl to form a loaf
Mix 150 g of pancake mix and 80 ml of milk using a fork. Stir until you get a moist mixture. Help yourself with your hands to form a round dough.
Advise:
this variation is quite different from the traditional approach, but is a quick and easy option when you are in the mood for sweet.
Step 2. Knead the dough and roll it out until you have a flat circle
Lightly flour a flat, clean surface, such as a kitchen counter, and knead the dough with your hands about 10 times. Then, make it flat with the help of your hands and roll it out with a rolling pin starting from the center.
The dough should be about 3-6mm thick
Step 3. Cut the dough into squares
First, cut the dough into strips, then into squares of about 5 cm. To create the shape of the beignets, you can use a knife or a sharp pizza cutter wheel.
Step 4. Heat 500ml of oil in a medium saucepan
Pour 500ml sunflower or canola oil into a medium saucepan and heat it over high heat. It will be ready to fry once it reaches a temperature of around 180 ° C.
Make sure you use enough oil to completely submerge the bits of dough
Step 5. Fry 4 beignets at a time until golden
Dip 3-4 squares of dough at a time into the oil. Fry them for 2-3 minutes, then turn them with tongs or a spoon. Fry them for another 2-3 minutes, until golden on both sides.
Step 6. Remove them with a slotted spoon to drain the excess oil
Use a skimmer to remove the beignets from the oil. Transfer them to a tray or baking sheet lined with kitchen paper that will absorb excess oil.
- Repeat the frying process with the remaining dough.
- Allow the beignets to cool and excess oil to be absorbed for at least 1-2 minutes.
Step 7. Serve hot with a sprinkle of powdered sugar
Place the beignets on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. You can serve them as a dessert, for breakfast or as a sweet snack!
- You can also garnish them with fruit or chocolate sauce.
- To coat them evenly with sugar, pour it into an airtight bag along with the beignets. Close it and shake it gently to distribute the sugar.
