Super Bowl
A New Orleans-Style Beignet-bouche
- Prep time 15 minutes
- Cook time 3 hours
- Serves 40 beignets
Author Notes
The Super Bowl is in New Orleans this year, so I thought—why not turn beignets into a fun game-day snack? Inspired by a croquembouche, I wanted to create a version that’s much easier to assemble. Instead of using melted sugar to hold it together, this beignetbouche is simply stacked.
Each beignet is smaller than the ones at Café du Monde, making them bite-sized. After frying, I shake them in a paper bag with powdered sugar before stacking them into a tower.
**Tips & Tricks**
• If you don’t have a brown paper bag, use a large bowl to toss the beignets in confectioners’ sugar.
• The oil temperature will drop slightly when you add the beignets. If they start browning more slowly, wait a few minutes between batches. If they’re browning too quickly, lower the heat.
• They’re best eaten fresh, but you can make the dough a day ahead and let it proof in the fridge overnight.
—Nea Arentzen
Ingredients
-
1 cup
(250 grams) whole milk
-
2 1/4 teaspoons
(7 grams) teaspoons active dry yeast
-
1/4 cup
(50 gram) granulated sugar
-
4 cups
(480 grams) all purpose flour
-
6 tablespoons
unsalted butter, softened
-
2
large egg
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
neutral oil, for frying
-
3 to 4 cups
confectioners' sugar
Directions
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan or microwave until lukewarm, about 105ºF/41ºC (no hotter as it can kill the yeast).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment, combine the yeast, milk, and sugar. Let it sit until slightly foamy on the surface, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, eggs, and salt. Knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and you can successfully perform a stretch test, 15 to 20 minutes depending on your mixer (it will look slightly loose, especially in the beginning. Resist the urge to add more flour. It will come together more as it kneads.) Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to proof until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Pat the dough out into a rough rectangle and sprinkle with a little flour. Roll the dough to a ½-inch thickness (dimensions don’t matter for this).
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares (there will be some odd-shaped ones and that’s okay). Divide them between two lightly floured baking sheets and cover with clean kitchen towels. Set aside for their second rise, another 30.
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 3 inches of neutral oil to 370ºF/ºC. While the oil is heating up, add 2 cups of confectioner's sugar to a brown paper bag (see tip).
- Once the oil is hot enough, fry 4 to 5 beignets at a time until deep golden brown, flipping with a metal spider or tongs, 1 to 2 minutes per side (see tip).
- Transfer all 4 to 5 beignets directly from the oil to the brown paper bag with confectioners’ sugar, then close the bag tightly and shake well to coat. Transfer them to a cooling rack placed on top of a rimmed baking sheet (just a baking sheet is fine too). Repeat with the remaining beignets, adding more confectioners’ sugar and swapping out for a new paper bag as needed.
- On a serving plate, stack the beignets into a tall pyramid structure. I found it easiest to start with the larger pieces on. Serve immediately with chicory coffee, if desired!
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