It may look like a doughnut. It may be filled or glazed like a doughnut. It may even be cooked like a doughnut. But don't call it a doughnut.
It's a beignet. And it's one of New Orleans' two iconic sweets (the other being the party-loving king cake). With Mardi Gras approaching, it's a perfect time to get to know beignets.
Truth is, beignets are a form of doughnut or fried dough. They originated in France, where the term is used to describe a wide variety of fried treats that are filled with fruit or jam. In New Orleans, they traditionally are served with a cup of coffee and chicory au lait.
To celebrate Mardi Gras, we're offering our take on the beignet, a praline beignet with cafe au lait icing. And of course, you also could add the traditional showering of powdered sugar.
Praline Beignets With Cafe au Lait Icing
Start to finish: 2 hours (30 minutes active)
Beignets
500 ml (2 cups) milk
15 ml (1 tbsp) instant yeast
50 ml (1/4 cup) packed dark brown sugar
875 ml to 1 l (3 1/2 to 4 cups) bread flour, divided
2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking soda
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
125 ml (1/2 cup) chopped toasted pecans
Canola oil, for frying
Icing
45 ml (3 tbsp) heavy cream
30 ml (2 tbsp) water (approx)
15 ml (1 tbsp) instant coffee
750 ml (3 cups) powdered sugar (approx)
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk to just lukewarm. You should still be able to comfortably leave your finger in the milk without it feeling too hot.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warmed milk, yeast, brown sugar, 875 ml (3 1/2 cups) of the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix on low until ingredients come together and form a smooth, elastic dough. If needed, add remaining flour, a bit at a time, to form a soft, elastic dough.
Add pecans and mix just until completely incorporated. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
When dough is ready, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. Lightly dust counter with flour and turn dough out onto it.
Roll dough out to 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Using a pizza wheel or dough cutter, cut dough into 5-cm (2-inch) squares. Transfer dough squares to prepared baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with about 5 cm (2 inches) of canola oil. Heat oil over medium-high until it reaches 190 C (375 F). Set a cooling rack over another sheet pan next to the stove.
When oil is hot and dough has rested, work in batches to fry beignets. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower 3 to 4 dough squares into hot oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, puffed and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and continue working in batches until all beignets are fried.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cream, water and instant coffee until coffee is dissolved. Add sugar and stir well until mixture is smooth. Add more water or powdered sugar to adjust consistency to be able to drizzle as a thick icing. Drizzle icing over warm beignets and enjoy warm.
Makes 24 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 220 calories; 70 calories from fat (33 per cent of total calories); 8 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fibre; 55 mg sodium.
