French Quarter Beignets Recipes

Steps:

• In medium bowl, stir granulated sugar and yeast in warm water until dissolved. In large bowl, beat eggs, milk and melted butter. Add yeast mixture; mix well. Add flour and salt; mix well. (Dough will be very sticky.) Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Divide chilled dough into fourths; keep refrigerated until ready to roll. Place 1 portion of dough on lightly floured work surface; sprinkle with additional flour. With floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 3-inch squares.
• In deep fryer or 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches oil to 375°F. Fry dough squares, 3 or 4 at a time (do not overcrowd), in hot oil 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until puffed and golden brown. Drain on paper towels or cooling rack placed over cookie sheet.
• Repeat rolling, cutting and frying remaining 3 portions of dough. Sprinkle beignets with powdered sugar before serving. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Add milk, sugar, egg, oil, vanilla extract, and salt to the yeast. Vigorously beat in flour. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Divide dough into quarters. Place 1 portion on a heavily floured surface. Roll to about 1/8-inch thickness using a well floured rolling pin. Cut into 2-inch squares. Repeat with remaining 3 portions.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 370 degrees F (188 degrees C). Fry beignets, a few at a time, until they puff and rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Combine the Yeast, Water, and Sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (You could also make this in a food processor, or the old fashioned way, by hand). Let this sit until frothy, about 5 minutes, then add the Salt, Egg, and Evaporated Milk.
• Mix on low speed, then add half of the flour until it starts to come together, then add the shortening. When the shortening is incorporated start adding the remaining flour, a little at a time until most of it is incorporated. At this time I always turn the dough onto a floured bench to finish by hand, just like when I make bread; it's a touch thing. Knead the dough adding just enough flour as necessary to make a non-sticky, smooth dough. Place the dough into a large oiled bowl, loosely cover and let rise about 20 minutes. I put mine in a barley warm oven.
• After the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and turn it onto a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1/2" thick. With a very sharp knife working at a diagonal to the rectangle, cut into 2" wide strips. Now cut into diamond shapes by making diagonal cuts in the opposite direction.
• Place the Beignets on a floured baking sheet to let rise about 40 minutes in a warm place (I place them in a barely warm oven).
• When the Beignets have risen, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350-360 degrees. Place 2-3 Beignets into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to smash or deflate them. When they are golden brown, flip them over until golden brown on the other side (They go pretty quickly so start checking them right after they go into the oil). Remove to paper towel lined plates to drain. Serve hot topped with plenty of powdered sugar (because the dough doesn't contain much sugar, you will want a lot!). Best served with Cafe au Lait. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together.
• Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture.
• In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour.
• Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
• Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour.
• Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
• Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
• Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.
• Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares.
• Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color.
• After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar.
• Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.
• Serve warm with syrup, if desired.

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup room temperature water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand for about 5 minutes to dissolve.
• Combine the shortening, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the shortening mixture and then stir in the evaporated milk. Wait for the mixture to cool down until it is lukewarm. Then, add the yeast and water mixture and beaten eggs.
• Slowly mix in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Working with a small portion (a little larger than a baseball) at a time, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut the rolled out dough into strips 2 to 3-inches wide, then cut again in the opposite direction and at an angle, making diamond shapes.
• Heat your oil for frying in a deep and wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat to 360 degree F (180 degrees C).
• Slide dough slowly into the oil to avoid splattering and deep fry until they puff up and are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove onto a rack with paper towels underneath and allow to cool until you can handle them. Place in a clean paper bag with confectioners' sugar and shake gently until covered generously or, use a sifter to dust the beignets with powdered sugar.