Beignets – New Orleans Style

A fried bread dessert with a sugar coating. Best served fresh. Requires a deep fryer or some other way to control the oil temperature. You also need somewhere around a quart of cooking oil.

Ingredients

• 7 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 8 oz. evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar – divided
• 1/4-oz. Active dry yeast
• 12 oz. warm water – divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 quart vegetable oil
• Powdered sugar

Process

1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients in advance.
2. In a mixer bowl, mix yeast in warm water and add 1 tsp of sugar; let stand 5 minutes.
3. Add milk, eggs, salt, and remaining sugar.
4. Heat 1 cup water to about 115°F stir in shortening until melted. Add to yeast mixture.
5. Mix ingredients at low speed (#1), gradually adding 4 cups flour, until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour and raise the speed to #4. Mix for 4 minutes until a sticky dough forms.
6. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.
7. Roll dough to a 1/4 inch thickness, turning repeatedly on a floured surface. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares.
8. Heat oil in Dutch oven or fryer to 360°F
9. Fry dough in batches, 2 – 3 mins on each side or until golden brown.
10. Drain on a wire rack.
11. Dust immediately with powdered sugar.