photo credit: imanactuary
Yes, I do know what it means to miss New Orleans. NOLA is my favorite city. I've been making visits there since I was a kid and those visits always include a stop at the Cafe Du Monde for beignets. Once we moved to Georgia in 2002, we were too far away from the Crescent City for weekend trips and we all started jonesing for beignets. I emailed my friend who has a sweet cajun grandmother named "Blah-Blah." (I never found out why she was called that, but she was a hoot.) I had the great fortune of waking up one morning at Blah-Blah's house to a heaping platter of beignets with a cup of coffee & chicory. I had to have that beignet recipe and, thankfully, Blah-Blah was willing to send it to me along with a bag of chicory. (Score!)
My whole family loves, loves, loves these little sweet treats. This recipe is super close to Cafe Du Monde beignets and makes a gracious plenty. We rarely have leftovers, but you can cut the recipe in half if you need to do that to suit the size of your crowd. What I like most about making beignets for my family is that they all think I slave away in the morning to make them. The trick is to make the dough the night before and then, fry them up in the morning. Easy peasy and super special on holidays. We like to eat these with bacon and a bowl of fresh fruit.
Peace, B.
My whole family loves, loves, loves these little sweet treats. This recipe is super close to Cafe Du Monde beignets and makes a gracious plenty. We rarely have leftovers, but you can cut the recipe in half if you need to do that to suit the size of your crowd. What I like most about making beignets for my family is that they all think I slave away in the morning to make them. The trick is to make the dough the night before and then, fry them up in the morning. Easy peasy and super special on holidays. We like to eat these with bacon and a bowl of fresh fruit.
Peace, B.
You'll need the following ingredients for 3 dozen beignets (depending on how you big or little you cut them):
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast (or 2 & 1/2 teaspoons)
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening
confectioners' sugar (Plan on using a bunch for sprinkling over your beignets!)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast (or 2 & 1/2 teaspoons)
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening
confectioners' sugar (Plan on using a bunch for sprinkling over your beignets!)
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture.
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.
Place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
After the dough rises, place in fridge overnight or continue on with the fryin'.
Get the oil good and hot. I dunno how hot becase I never check, but I guess 350 degrees.
Make sure you have your confectioner's sugar ready to go. Most folks shake their beignets in a paper bag to coat with sugar. I have always used a sifter, but now, I have this handy dandy shaker from Pampered Chef. (It was only $6.50!)
Meanwhile, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture.
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.
Place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
After the dough rises, place in fridge overnight or continue on with the fryin'.
Get the oil good and hot. I dunno how hot becase I never check, but I guess 350 degrees.
Make sure you have your confectioner's sugar ready to go. Most folks shake their beignets in a paper bag to coat with sugar. I have always used a sifter, but now, I have this handy dandy shaker from Pampered Chef. (It was only $6.50!)
Roll the dough out real thin, around about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into about 1-inch squares. They'll puff up as you fry them.
Deep fry the beignets, but be sure you flip them constantly. You can't walk away from them, friends. They fry fast. They'll be golden brown when they're done.
Drain them for a few seconds on paper towels and then, sprinkle with sugar. You can have too much sugar, so don't hold back.
I serve these by the plateful as I stand at the stove and make them. They fry up fast, so I'm never there long. I make my Littles clean up the mess in the kitchen. I don't clean as I go when I fry these and, they're so happy to have had beignets, they don't even raise a fuss.
Deep fry the beignets, but be sure you flip them constantly. You can't walk away from them, friends. They fry fast. They'll be golden brown when they're done.
Drain them for a few seconds on paper towels and then, sprinkle with sugar. You can have too much sugar, so don't hold back.
I serve these by the plateful as I stand at the stove and make them. They fry up fast, so I'm never there long. I make my Littles clean up the mess in the kitchen. I don't clean as I go when I fry these and, they're so happy to have had beignets, they don't even raise a fuss.
