Beignets From The Oven

We were in New Orleans last month and, of course, visited Cafe du Monde.  This place is truly world famous for their beignets and Cafe au Laits. This recipe is done in the oven so you have less fat, less icing sugar. (If you have eaten at Cafe du Monde, you know of which I speak….) and the Cafe au Lait is the dipping sauce.

 

  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 pkg. quick rising dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1  1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 tbsp. cold butter, cut up
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar

Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top along with 1 tsp. sugar. Stir and let stand until its gets foamy. This should take about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into this until it looks like crumbs.

With a fork, stir in the buttermilk and egg until blended. Like making muffins, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times until it becomes a smooth dough.

Using the same bowl, spray with Pam and place the dough in, cover with plastic and let sit for about 10 minutes. Spray two large cookie sheets with Pam. Punch down the dough and roll out into a 9 inch square on a floured surface and cut into 6 strips and then cut each strip into 6 pieces. Place them on the cookie sheets about 1  1/2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap that you have sprayed with Pam. Let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (if using convection oven, rotate the trays halfway through the baking time). Serve warm with a slight sprinkle of icing sugar.

 

Cafe au Lait Dip

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. instant espresso pweder
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1  1/2 oz. bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped

In a medium  size saucepan, whisk together the sugar, espresso and cornstarch. Add the milk and cook for about 7-8 minutes until it comes to the boil and thickens a little. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Serve warm in a bowl for dipping in the warm beignets.

OMG! Any chocolate lovers…..this is for you. You love donuts? These are better than.

YUMMY!

 

French Breakfast Puffs

This recipe is from my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook”.

This makes 6 Puffs

 

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup melted butter

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine first five ingredients and make a well in the center. In another bowl, beat egg slightly, add milk and melted butter. Mix together and add to the dry ingredients. Stir only until moistened (will be lumpy).

Grease muffins tins, fill with batter. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together. Immediatly dip the baked muffins into the melted butter and then into the sugar-cinnamon, Serve warm.

Truly a real winner. ALMOST like a beignet only without the deep frying.

Beignets

Don’t laugh but when Don and I were travelling the south of France a few years ago, my ‘bucket list’ was to find and devour Beignets. These are wonderful french delectables. We found them only once and it was a beach kiosk in Cannes. that was it. Ha Ha! Here is the recipe.

Needed:

  •  1 pkg dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla
  • 2 tbsp. melted butter (never margarine)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cups flour
  • deep fryer if you have one or 4 inches of oil for frying in a deep sided fry pan
  • Icing sugar
  • Berry sugar mixed with a touch of cinnamon

 

In electric mixer dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Now add the milk, beaten egg,vanilla, butter, sugar and salt. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time on medium speed for about a minute. Dough will be sticky. Work with 1/4 of the dough at a time. Place on a well floured board and roll out to about 1/8″ thick.

Cut dough into 2 inch squares. Preheat oil to 370 degrees. Fry the square (few at a time). When they rise to the top, flip them over and cook until golden. Dust with the sugar (either one) and be sure to serve warm.

Oh, did I say you would be making these EVERY DAY?

 

Taste Rating: 9.9