I was craving beignets last week. I know part of that was the trip to Galveston. It is the closest place for me to buy beignets out currently. Unless I wish to drive to New Orleans. I actually do not have a problem with that but I do not always have the time. And I say drive because then I can take a tent, camp, wander, eat, drink, and be merry. Yes. It is how I do New Orleans at this point in my life.
The lowly oddly beignet on the plate in the above picture was the last one. Cold because I made it the day before but it was still a good beignet! Which the day after, beignets are pretty bleah! I do not know if I am making beignets next or croissants because I am craving them both but one will be made. But I have to write down the beignet recipe. I followed a recipe for New Orlean style beignets, changing them for sourdough and what was in the house. This is where I get asked did I really follow the recipe or not. My response is usually, hmmmm.
beignets
Note: I started with the beignet recipe from Genius Kitchen. I changed it for sourdough and what was in my kitchen.
1/4 cup sourdough starter (I have a large mason jar of starter just ready to go now. I just dipped out a 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3-3 3/4 cups whole wheat white flour
2 tablespoons butter
In a large bowl, put in the starter and water. Mix well. Stir in the sugar, egg, salt, milk, and butter.
Mix in the flour a cup a time. I made my dough on the wet side so I held back on the flour. But you want to get enough flour until you can knead the dough smooth. I had to use my dough scraper to help me because the dough was so sticky. I really wanted a dough that would rise well when fried. I used about 3 1/2 cups flour.
Cover and let the dough rise until double in bulk. This can be done at room temperature or it can be done in the refrigerator. If you plan to put the dough in the refrigerator, cover the bowl with cling wrap.
When the dough has doubled, turn it out of the bowl onto a clean floured surface. Pat or roll to about 1/2 inch thick and cut rectangles. I went for smaller then purchased beignets. But my dough was also soft enough by the time I transferred them to baking sheets covered with silpats to rise, the rectangles were not very rectangular.
Cover and let rise until double again or very puffy.
In a deep pan, put in two or three inches of vegetable oil and bring to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I use a cast iron chicken fryer. Put a few beignets in at a time to fry. First one side, then roll over. An even brownness is wanted. It will only take a few minutes a side. They can go from golden to too dark very quickly.
I actually had paper towels in the house so I let them drain on paper towels.
Sift lots of powdered sugar over them. Eat hot with coffee or tea. Take some to the neighbors. Which is what I did because I did not need to eat two dozen beignets even though I wanted too!
Like I said, beignets or croissants later this week. The boyos would say both!