If you follow us on Facebook, you’ll know that a few hours ago the latest status was “Laissez les bons temps roulez!” This phrase, French for “Let the good times roll!”, is a common phrase in the French Quarter around Mardi Gras. And look at that! This year’s Mardi Gras has just come and gone. In honor of “Fat Tuesday”, I have made yeast beignets, complete with deep-frying.
Lightly dusted with powdered sugar as God intended. Citation needed?
To clarify, there are two types of beignets: baking powder and yeast. I have attempted the yeast version both because it was in the recipe I followed and because I wanted more practice with yeast proofing. This recipe was adapted from www.visionsofsugarplum.com for the deep fryer, so props to Mizz Emily. [Yes, my Southern drawl has been severe for most of the day. I can't help it.]
The recipe is pretty simple. Milk, yeast, sugar, egg, butter, salt, vanilla, and a butt-ton of oil. Bada-bing.
Funny lighting due to funny kitchen light. So there you go.
Warm the milk to 110ºF and proof the yeast with a small portion of the sugar. After about 10 minutes, mix in the egg, butter, salt, and vanilla, then start adding the flour. Knead the dough until it is homogeneous and smooth. Let this rise for an hour. Punch and roll the dough out and slice it into ~2″x2″ sections. Let the sections rise for another hour.
While the sections are rising, heat the oil to 305º. I tested my oil by cutting off a tiny chunk of one of the sections and dropping it in. If the oil is at the proper temperature, the dough will float on the top rather than sink. Once the oil is the proper temperature, pop the dough sections in so they have plenty of wiggle room. Fry them to a deep golden brown.
Deep-frying the beignets.
That’s pretty much it! You can top these bad boys with almost anything. For my gallery shots, I chose powdered sugar for both the taste and the contrast, but other suggestions may be cinnamon-sugar, powdered sugar and strawberries, jam… It’s like rule 34 of the Food Porn world. Anyway, enjoy!
I'm starting to have fun with lighting and camera angles in these posts. Feel free to comment!
I'm having fun with Photoshop too 
Photo editing is magical.
Light and fluffy on the inside.
I’m definitely enjoying pushing my skills and trying new things, especially with the two latest dishes. Tomorrow’s dish will probably take a step back and go for simplistic, so be on the lookout.
Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Stay up-to-date with the goings-on of Sideways Sweets and get fun extras like teasers!
Quick Recipe
Using preparation from http://www.visionsofsugarplum.com/2011/03/big-easy-beignet.html
Once beignet dough is prepared, heat oil to 305ºF. Place sections in oil with room to float and fry for 30-60s each side. Remove from oil and top as desired.
So why not use beignet flour stuff? I don’t really know much about making beignets, but Kate makes them all the time. She has special beignet flour stuff that she uses. They end up being a lot like funnel cake.
Part of this blog is allowing myself to try new techniques and practice my skills, so I try to do as much as possible from scratch. The pie crust from the S’mores Pie was one exception, and I’m sure there will be more
Ah ok. I was just curious.
Mmmm….butt-ton of oil…how appetizing! Please add a disclaimer that you learned that phrase from a yankee friend! Love ya!