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Yeasted dough rolled thin, cut into squares, fried 2 minutes a side at 365°F, dusted with powdered sugar while still hot. New Orleans breakfast for a backyard.
Beignets are the easiest fried donut you can make. No cutters, no glaze, no proofing rings. Roll the dough flat, cut squares, drop them in oil, dust with sugar. The yeast does the work, your hands barely have to.
Emeril Lagasse's classic Beignets recipe on Emerils.com is the version most New Orleans cooks come back to, and it scales up easily for a crowd. The Hurricane Bay HB-4 fits a whole batch through in 15 minutes because 4 gallons of 365°F oil holds steady when 8 squares hit the basket. Make these on a Sunday morning and you'll have a porch full of people.
★ The Yeast-and-Flour Pairing
Beignets are a yeast-and-flour show, and Fleischmann's active dry yeast is the only one most home cooks need. The 3-packet strip is what every Walmart stocks. Pair with Gold Medal AP flour for a 5 lb bag that runs you through several batches and stays in the pantry without going stale.
Member's Mark Peanut OilIn the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the warm water, granulated sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and you start over.
Add the eggs, salt, and evaporated milk to the bloomed yeast. Beat in 4 cups of the flour at low speed. Add the shortening, then the remaining 3 cups flour, beating until smooth. The dough will be sticky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 2 hours, or refrigerate up to overnight if you are making them for the next morning.
On a heavily floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares with a knife or pizza wheel. Don't worry about reusing scraps, just cut and go.
Fill the Hurricane Bay HB-4 with 4 gallons of peanut oil and bring to 365°F. Donuts run a little hotter than chicken, about 12 to 14 minutes from cold.
Lower 6 to 8 squares into the basket. They will sink, then puff up and float. Fry 2 minutes on the first side, flip with a slotted spoon, and fry 2 more minutes on the second side. They should be deep golden.
Lift onto a paper-towel-lined sheet pan and let drain 30 seconds. Don't blot, you want the oil that is still on the surface to grab the sugar.
Dust them heavily with powdered sugar through a sieve while they are still hot. Serve immediately with chicory coffee.
The Hurricane Bay HB-4: 4 gallons, 90,000 BTU, 12-gauge American steel, V-drain. The fryer this recipe was tested in.
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