Name: Beignets with cinnamon sugar
Prep time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: serves 6 people
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 50 g milk; 5 g active dry yeast; 20 g sugar; 50 g butter, softened at room temperature; 250 g all-purpose flour; 1 egg; nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, all spice powder, cloves powder, cardamom powder; 1 tbsp rum; 500 ml canola oil (rapeseed oil) for frying; 250 g sugar; 1 tbsp cinnamon powder; 1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only)

Beignets with cinnamon sugar

Give me a good deep-fried doughnut kind of dessert and we will be friends forever. That's probably not the best way to start the recipe description. But it's true. We are total suckers for all deep-fried desserts. Especially in winter, when we don't need to make up extra excuses for eating greasy, indulgent and delicious foods, do we? We make these only once or twice a year. Why? Because these are so good, that we like to make them when we aren't all busy and running around. They are meant for days when we are feeling good about life. When we can and are willing to take time to enjoy. These homemade beignets are super soft, not too greasy, incredibly full of flavor and winterish spices. Coat them in cinnamon sugar for some extra flavor of deliciousness. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Beignets

50 g milk

5 g active dry yeast

20 g sugar

50 g butter, softened at room temperature

250 g all-purpose flour

1 egg

nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, all spice powder, cloves powder, cardamom powder

1 tbsp rum

500 ml canola oil (rapeseed oil) for frying

cinnamon sugar

250 g sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only)

Tools and equipment

large bowl

bowl

stand mixer

HEAVY BASED SAUCEPAN WITH A LID

THERMOMETER

paper towels

METHOD

preparation

Mix 50ml (1.7 oz) of water, milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
knead

Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon of allspice powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder and rum to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Knead using a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add the egg and continue to knead for about 3 - 5 minutes. The dough has to be glossy and smooth. Cut the butter into small cubes and slowly incorporate it into the dough. Knead once again. Cover with a kitchen towel and let proof on room temperature for about 35 minutes or until doubled in size.
roll out the dough

Roll the dough out to about 0.5 cm (1/4-inch) thickness and cut into 5 cm (2-inch) squares. Place each beignet on a tray lined with parchment paper. Leave a bit of space in between each beignet. Cover with a kitchen towel and let proof for about 15 minutes.
cinnamon sugar

In a bowl stir together the sugar, cinnamon powder and seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean. Set aside.
deep frying

Get a heavy-based saucepan. Fill it up to the halfway point with rapeseed oil. Heat the oil to 165 - 170°C/330 - 340°F. Carefully remove the beignets from the baking tray, take care not to deflate them, and put them into the oil. Cover with a lid. Fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Don't cover with a lid when you turn the beignets around. Remove from the oil and drain them on kitchen paper. Set aside to cool slightly.
serve

Coat the beignets with cinnamon sugar while they are still a bit warm and serve immediately.