Beignets

We bought a Cuisinart mini deep fryer this month.  Nice little piece of equipment to have in the pantry.  You're not going to be making the most healthy of dishes with it, but somehow, if you have to deep fry, this is the way to fly.

So, of course, around here there have been sudden appearances of coconut shrimp, crappie filets with hush puppies and onion rings, and this morning -- beignets.  You might think I lived in the Deep South.  I don't live in the Deep South, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express one time.  And I play like I lived in the Deep South whenever I'm on TV.

Want beignets?  If you've been in New Orleans in the mornings these little treats appear in most cafes around the city and waterfront.  Walk by a cafe and you will see the chef frying them up ("fixing beignets" is the technical term) and dusting them with powdered sugar.  With strong coffee there may not be a better-tasting morning tradition in the Deep South.

I just had to have some, so I researched the web for recipes, method, and variations.

This is my preferred approach.

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 egg at room temperature, beaten
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk (Pet)
powdered sugar for dusting
vegetable oil for deep frying

In a small bowl sprinkle yeast into lukewarm water and stir gently.  Be careful the water is about body temperature because water over 105 degrees will kill the yeast.  Set that aside for 15 minutes.

Beat the egg well in a small bowl, add milk, butter, and combine with the yeast.

Now on to the dry ingredients.  Using two cups of the flour in a large bowl add sugar, salt and combine.  Pour wet ingredients into the center and mix with a wooden spoon.  When well-blended add the remaining 2 cups of flour and combine until you have a smooth dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead for about 4 minutes until smooth.  Place in a metal, lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth and refrigerate overnight - or at least 4-6 hours.

When you are ready to fry the beignets remove the dough from refrigeration and let it begin to come to room temperature (long way of saying, "Take it out of the fridge and let it warm up some").

Dust a rolling pin and surface with flour and turn the dough onto it.  Roll the dough into a large rectangle or square of 1/4 inch thickness.  At this point I separated the dough into halves so I could freeze some for another day.  This recipe makes about 18 to 20 beignets.

Prepare your deep fryer or pot using veggie oil to a temperature of 360 degrees.

With a knife cut the dough into 2x2 inch squares and place on a cookie sheet or plate.  Place them 2 or 3 at a time into the hot oil.  They will immediately sink to the bottom and within five seconds rise to the top.  If they don't come to the surface the oil is not hot enough.

Using a large spoon, baste oil over the beignets as they fry.  Once they puff up turn them and continue to baste.  Baste and turn (maybe twice each) until golden brown.

Place the beignets on a paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and admire your work before diving into them.  Bet you can't eat just one.

Given this recipe produces nearly two dozen beignets, I separated the dough, cut the squares and froze half of them.  When I'm ready for another round I will thaw the beignet dough squares and fry them.  I'd imagine they will keep for a couple of months or more.

I did mention crappie, hush puppies and onion rings, didn't I?  Have a look:

A little research on what oil to use:

Traditionally, in New Orleans the chefs use cottonseed oil.  I would think that is not an oil you will find in your grocery store.  Probably need to go to a Bass Pro Shop for it.

I used regular vegetable oil.  You do want an oil with a high "smoke point".  Veggie oil has a SP of 450 degrees.  By contrast, canola is 400; melted butter 350; corn oil 450; EV olive 406; peanut 450; safflower 450; sesame 410; veggie shortening 370; sunflower 450.

Smoke points are the temperature that the oil will begin to give off smoke and unpleasant odors.  Basically it is breaking down at that temp and what will follow is a "flash point" and a fire.

So my recipe calls for frying at 360 degrees F and well below the smoke point.  So you should not use melted butter or shortening and be safe.  Be careful as you drop beignet dough into the hot oil.  Also take care as you baste them so you do not splash.

Best deal is to come on over and let me fix them for you!

Variations I intend to try out is a glaze made with powdered sugar and butter instead of dusting.  A dip into chocolate has some appeal.  Maybe some cinnamon sugar in the recipe to replace the plain sugar.  Or nutmeg.  Allspice?  You could go savory and serve them instead of bread for dinner (sorry, I mean "suppa")by adding crushed basil or another herb.