French Quarter Beignets with a Blizzard of Powdered Sugar

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Hollow, pillowy yeast-raised squares fried until they balloon and turn deep gold, then buried under an unreasonable amount of powdered sugar. An overnight rest in the fridge does the heavy lifting: it relaxes the dough so the beignets puff dramatically in the oil, and it means you can be eating them fifteen minutes after you wake up. Evaporated milk gives the interior that faintly caramelized, custardy chew you get from the old New Orleans coffee stands.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (105–110°F)
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• 6 cups neutral oil for frying (peanut, canola, or vegetable)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt (optional, for the sugar)

Instructions

1. Stir the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar together in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. If it doesn't foam, your yeast is dead — start over.
2. Whisk in the remaining granulated sugar, the evaporated milk, egg, salt, and vanilla. Add 2 cups of the bread flour and stir with a sturdy spoon until you have a smooth, thick batter, about 1 minute.
3. Add the softened butter and work it in with the spoon (it will look messy and broken — that's fine). Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead just 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and springy. Resist adding much extra flour; the dough should still feel tacky. Alternatively, mix and knead 4 minutes in a stand mixer with the dough hook on medium-low.
5. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. The cold rest is not optional — it is what makes the beignets balloon.
6. When ready to fry, pour the oil into a heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Clip on a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium to 360°F. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set a rack nearby.
7. While the oil heats, turn the cold dough onto a well-floured counter. Press and roll it into a rough 12 x 9-inch rectangle a scant 1/4 inch thick. Trim the ragged edges, then cut into 2-inch squares with a pizza wheel or bench knife — you'll get about 24. Let the squares sit uncovered for 10 minutes while the oil comes up to temperature.
8. Fry 3 or 4 squares at a time, never crowding the pot. Slide them in and after about 10 seconds gently push each one under the oil once with a spider or slotted spoon to encourage it to puff. Fry 60 to 75 seconds per side, until deeply golden and inflated. Adjust the burner to hold 355–365°F between batches.
9. Lift the beignets onto the paper towels for 15 seconds only, then move to the rack. Repeat with the remaining dough, letting the oil recover to 360°F each time.
10. Sift the powdered sugar (with the pinch of sea salt, if using) into a wide bowl or shallow dish. While the beignets are still hot, roll or bury them in the sugar until thickly coated, then pile them on a platter and dust with even more sugar. Serve immediately, ideally with chicory coffee cut with hot milk.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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