Nun's Beignets
The beloved beignet is a Mardi Gras classic in the Deep South. Thanks to our St. Paul Pioneer Press, Dorie Greenspan’s recipe (from Baking Chez Moi) for beignets has come to the North Country. I haven’t deep-fried anything since the kids moved away and triglycerides moved in, but tomorrow I’ll brush off the beat-up Dutch oven—my designated deep-frying pan—and treat Taxman to these decadent little marvels, a Fat Tuesday indulgence that will inspire our Lenten sacrifices…I hope.
The beloved beignet is a Mardi Gras classic in the Deep South. Thanks to our St. Paul Pioneer Press, Dorie Greenspan’s recipe (from Baking Chez Moi) for beignets has come to the North Country. I haven’t deep-fried anything since the kids moved away and triglycerides moved in, but tomorrow I’ll brush off the beat-up Dutch oven—my designated deep-frying pan—and treat Taxman to these decadent little marvels, a Fat Tuesday indulgence that will inspire our Lenten sacrifices…I hope.
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into four chunks
- 3 eggs large; room temperature
- flavorless oil(canola or grape seed) for deep-frying
- sugar, cinnamon sugar, or vanilla sugar for dredging
- Carbohydrate 4.54854770367017 g
- Cholesterol 10.4186 mg
- Fat 3.88363354291176 g
- Fiber 0.134199212433069 g
- Protein 1.05837303701891 g
- Saturated Fat 2.43381524872584 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (31g)
- Sodium 318.795367388593 mg
- Sugar 4.4143484912371 g
- Trans Fat 0.283143208618697 g
- Calories 57 calories
Step-by-step
- In medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk, water, sugar, salt, and butter to rapid boil over high heat.
- Add flour all at once.
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Immediately begin stirring energetically with wooden spoon until dough comes together and light crust forms on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Keep stirring vigorously for one or two minutes more, or until dough dries and becomes very smooth.
- Turn dough into large bowl and allow to rest for about a minute.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until fully incorporated.
- The dough may break a bit during this process, which will eliminate any need to go to the gym for arm-toning.
- Keep beating, though, and it will all come together.
- Beat in vanilla extract.
- Pour 4 inches of oil into a large Dutch oven, fitted with a deep-fat thermometer.
- Heat oil to 325 degrees.
- Meanwhile, set a couple of large soup spoons and a slotted spoon near the stove.
- Line small baking sheet with several layers of paper toweling.
- Place near, but not too near, the stove.
- In a large bowl, place generous handful of sugar, cinnamon sugar, or vanilla sugar.
- When oil has come to desired temperature, use one soup spoon to scoop up a ping-pong ball-sized hunk of dough.
- Using second spoon, push dough into oil.
- Repeat to make more beignets, taking care not to overcrowd pan, which will lower the oil temperature and spoil EVERYTHING.
- Fry beignets, adjusting heat as needed to maintain target temperature.
- Greenspan says it takes from 8 to 12 minutes to cook fry them properly.
- When finished, they will be about three times their original size, deeply browned and split.
- The little fissure is the all-important sign that the beignet has expanded sufficiently.
- Using slotted spoon, lift fried beignet out of oil, tapping spoon a time or two against the inside of the pan to allow excess oil to drain back into Dutch oven.
- Place on prepared baking sheet to drain on paper towels, turning a time or two to aid drying.
- While still warm, place into sugar mixture and coat generously.
- Transfer to serving platter.
- Continue the process until all dough is used up.
- Serve while still warm, if possible, with a little jam or honey, or perhaps some chocolate dipping sauce.
Why does the dough look completely broken and curdled the moment those eggs go in? This alarming temporary state happens because cold or room temperature eggs introduce moisture rapidly to a hot, fat-heavy pan-dried paste, temporarily refusing to emulsify until energetic mechanical action forces the lipids and liquids back into a smooth suspension. Continuing to stir with stubborn persistence transforms that fractured mass into a glossy, cohesive choux dough that will eventually trap steam properly.
Temperature management during the deep-frying phase dictates the ultimate structural integrity of the pastry. Maintaining the cooking oil strictly between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit prevents the exterior from scorching before the interior moisture has enough thermal energy to vaporize and expand the cavity. Overcrowding the Dutch oven drops this thermal threshold instantly, causing the dough to absorb excess grease rather than crisping into a delicate shell.
Visual cues dictate doneness far more accurately than clock time alone. The pastry must swell to roughly three times its original volume while developing deep brown hues and a characteristic split along the surface. This little fissure acts as the primary indicator that internal steam has fully ventilated and the structural starches are completely set.
Dredging the finished pastries immediately while residual surface oil remains warm ensures that the granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar, or vanilla sugar adheres densely to the exterior crust. Serving these confections promptly preserves the contrast between the crisp outer layer and the tender interior before ambient moisture softens the fragile shell.
