2011 March 08 | dinner with Julie

Archive for March 8th, 2011

Fat Tuesday Buttermilk Beignets

Sorry, really. But it’s Fat Tuesday – I’m working with a theme here. And if I were to be giving something up for lent, these would be worthy of ditching. They’re that good. Don’t you just want to curl up and go to sleep on one? Or nestled among them?

Buttermilk Beignets

3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the countertop
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

canola oil, for cooking
icing sugar, for dusting

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until small bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour into a large bowl (one that goes in a stand mixer, if you have one) and stir in the buttermilk. Stir in the yeast and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes, until the yeast starts to bubble. (If it does nothing, it may be inactive – you’ll need fresh yeast.)

Add 2 cups of the flour, the baking soda and salt and mix until well blended. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and continue mixing for a few more minutes, until the dough starts to come together but is still very sticky – you wouldn’t be able to knead it if you wanted to. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm place for an hour, until doubled in bulk. At that point it shouldn’t be sticky anymore.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out 1/2-inch thick. (You may need to dust the surface of the dough with flour as well to keep it from sticking.) With a sharp knife, dough scraper or pizza wheel, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. (They will puff up as they cook – you don’t want them too big, or they won’t cook all the way through.) If you want to make them ahead, place them on a parchment-lined sheet, cover and keep them in the fridge for up to 8 hours before frying.)

In a large, heavy pot, heat a couple inches of canola oil until it’s hot but not smoking – it should read 375°F on a thermometer. Cook the beignets a few at a time – without crowding the pot, or the oil will cool down and the beignets will wind up greasy – until golden on each side. It should take about 4 minutes – turn them with tongs as you need to, then remove with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Serve warm, doused generously in icing sugar. Makes lots.