New Orleans-Style Beignets with Honey Recipe
Recipes
With Mardi Gras just days away, we’re heating up a tempting New Orleans classic: warm, flaky beignets, just like the ones served at Café du Monde, Café Beignet and the many other patisseries (French bakeries) throughout New Orleans. Dubbed the “official state doughnut” of Louisiana, these light and puffy pastries have just a touch of sweetness once they’re dusted with white powdered sugar. But what really makes them special? No surprise: it’s a drizzle of raw and unfiltered honey. For an even more regional taste, try our Southeast honey.
Makes about 35-40 small beignets.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water- 1/4 oz active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- Corn oil or other flavorless oil
- Powdered sugar
- Local Hive Honey
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it dissolves.2. Lightly whisk eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, salt and sugar together. Add to the yeast mixture.
3. Mix in about 2 cups of the flour and continue mixing by hand or with a dough mixer. If using a stand mixer, mix for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add melted butter and mix until the dough is sticky but smooth. If needed, sprinkle in additional flour to make the dough soft.
5. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it once so it’s coated. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours or until doubled.
6. Punch the dough down and remove it from the bowl.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/3 inch thick. Then cut the dough into 2″ squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Let them rest for about 10 minutes before frying.
8. Working in batches so as to not crowd the oil, fry the dough squares until they are puffy and golden brown.
9. Remove from the oil and dry on paper towels.
10. Immediately drizzle with honey and dust with powdered sugar, then serve hot.
Recipe sourced from africanbites.com
