Kats Beignets

Category: Desserts & Sweets | Blog URL: http://theeatfoodnotmoneycookbook.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/beignets/

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Kathy Brakhage

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature & beaten

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup evaporated milk

4 cups flour

3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Vegetable oil for frying

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

Using a mixer with a dough hook, place water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl.

Beat until smooth.

If using a bread machine, select dough setting and press Start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

If mixing by hand, mix ingredients until a dough forms, turn out onto a floured surface and knead around 200 times.

Form dough into an oval, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

To prepare dough, remove from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board to ½ inch thickness.

Cut into approximately 3-inch squares.

In a deep fryer or large pot, heat just enough vegetable oil to completely cover beignets to 360 degrees.

Fry the beignets (2 or 3 at a time) 2 to 3 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning them in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown; beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff.

Remove from oil and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar.

Serve hot.