Freshman year of college, I took my first trip to New Orleans for a jazz and heritage fest. Late one night I stumbled upon my first beignet and never looked back. This version is served with salted caramel and will transport you right to the French quarter.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 40 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 40 min |
| Yield: | about 15 beignets |
Ingredients
- 2 quarts vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1 teaspoon flakey salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
- For the beignets: Preheat a large pot with oil to 355 to 360 degrees F.
- In a medium pot, heat the butter, milk and 1/2 cup water over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the vanilla paste and salt. All at once, add the flour and mix until well combined. Remove from the heat and slowly incorporate the eggs, one at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and sticky.
- Drop a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of dough directly into the oil. The dough will naturally free itself from the spoon. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove to a paper towel. Repeat until you run out of dough.
- For the salted caramel: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring until amber in color, then slowly add the heavy cream in small amounts at a time. The mixture will bubble up after each addition. Once all the cream is incorporated, add the butter, vanilla paste and salt, and mix until combined.
- Serve the beignets hot with the caramel sauce for dipping and dust with the confectioners’ sugar.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 15 servings |
| Calories | 1273 |
| Total Fat | 132 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 82 mg |
| Sodium | 213 mg |