Beignets + The Big Easy

When I started blogging, I never in a billion years realized it would open up a whole new life for me. I never thought I’d quit my job to write full time (it’s a dream, y’all). Or fall in love with my online community (that’s you!) Or learn that my very best friends on earth would be other bloggers. When I met Roeshel online, I instantly liked her. When we met at Haven a couple of years ago, I knew we were going to be life long friends. After we first met, we stayed in touch through email and the phone, and even met up again for Haven last year. If you’ve ever seen me at Haven, then you’ve probably seen me glued to Roeshel’s hip – or vice versa. We’re like peas and carrots. We’re so close that even our birthdays are only 5 days apart. So earlier this year, when we were both freezing in the middle of never-ending winter, we started dreaming of somewhere warm to celebrate our birthdays together.

And then we decided to make those dreams a reality by taking a trip together to New Orleans. And it was pure bliss.

We walked around neighborhoods dreaming of the houses we’d buy…

We walked through cemeteries and lived to tell about it.

We photographed way too many of the beautiful crypts.

We oohed and ahhhed at churches….

and doors….

and details on houses.

We walked through the French Market…

Then oohed and ahhhed some more.

And then we had beignets. I love beignets. They’re my greatest diet weakness. My kiddos love them, too, so I make them on a pretty regular basis. (I do sneak one – gotta make sure they’re fit to eat!)  If you’ve never had a beignet, they’re like little clouds of heaven – which tastes a lot like donuts. Although mine are nothing like Cafe du Monde’s, I wanted to share my taste of the Big Easy…

To make your own beignets, you’ll need:

1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 package active dry yeast

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 cups bread flour

2 TBS gluten (find it in the baking aisle)

pinch of salt

powdered sugar for dusting

cooking oil (I use canola)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, put in the water, honey and yeast, and mix it just a bit with your hand to dissolve. Let set for 3-4 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.

While you wait, in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and gluten.

When yeast is bubbly, add in the butter and all the flour mixture (I do it all at once), then mix on slow until combined. After it’s combined, turn it on medium high and mix for about 2 minutes.

Pull the dough out of the bowl and place onto a large cutting board, working it together until it’s in a ball. Knead (without flour) for a couple of minutes (you really can’t mess it up.) Use a little oil and lightly coat the ball, then place on board and cover with a towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.

Once it’s risen, punch it down, then roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick, into a rectangular shape. Using a pizza cutter, cut it into pieces about 1 1/2 inches square(ish), then cover with towel again and let rise for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.

After they’ve risen again, fry them in oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I use my dutch oven), fry them in oil heated to 350 degrees, flipping them once they’re golden brown on one side (it takes about 90 seconds a side – watch them closely). When golden on the other side, pull them out and drain on paper towels. Coat with powdered sugar and you’re ready to eat.

My girls love raspberry dipping sauce, which is nothing more than 2 TBS of raspberry preserves mixed with 2 TBS of water, heated and then strained to get out all the seeds. Although they’re definitely a treat, every time I make them I’ll always remember my amazing trip to New Orleans with Roeshel.

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Beignets

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Keyword authentic beignet recipe, beignet recipe, beignets

Ingredients

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 TBS gluten find it in the baking aisle
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar for dusting
• cooking oil I use canola

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, put in the water, honey and yeast, and mix it just a bit with your hand to dissolve. Let set for 3-4 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.
2. While you wait, in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and gluten.
3. When yeast is bubbly, add in the butter and all the flour mixture (I do it all at once), then mix on slow until combined. After it’s combined, turn it on medium high and mix for about 2 minutes.
4. Pull the dough out of the bowl and place onto a large cutting board, working it together until it’s in a ball. Knead (without flour) for a couple of minutes (you really can’t mess it up.) Use a little oil and lightly coat the ball, then place on board and cover with a towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.
5. Once it’s risen, punch it down, then roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick, into a rectangular shape. Using a pizza cutter, cut it into pieces about 1 1/2 inches square(ish), then cover with towel again and let rise for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6. After they’ve risen again, fry them in oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I use my dutch oven), fry them in oil heated to 350 degrees, flipping them once they’re golden brown on one side (it takes about 90 seconds a side – watch them closely). When golden on the other side, pull them out and drain on paper towels. Coat with powdered sugar and you’re ready to eat

We stayed in a gorgeous apartment (courtesy of FlipKey.com) and I’m going to show it to you next week – so stay tuned for the most gorgeous 200 sq ft you’ve ever seen in your life!

disclaimer: I was offered a free trial, in part, through FlipKey. Opinion is 100% my own.