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Authentic Beignets Recipe France, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
The signature dessert of New Orleans, beignets are considered as a kind of doughnut or a fritter that is traditionally prepared from pâte à choux. Scoops of it are dropped into the hot oil and fried until golden brown and crispy when they are transferred onto paper towels to drain. Arranged on plates in orders of three and piled sky-high with sugar, for serving, they are typically paired with café au lait which is a blend of dark roast coffee, chicory, and hot milk.
Pair with
Cooking tips
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method
To achieve the perfect beignets, you should always make sure the oil is at the right temperature for frying, which you can check with an oil thermometer. Also, take care not to overcrowd the pot, as adding too many beignets at once will lower the temperature of the oil. The New Orleans institution Café du Monde uses cottonseed oil, but most recipes call for regular vegetable oil, and in some cases ... Read more -
yeasted dough
Alternatively, beignets can also be prepared with yeasted dough in which case the dough is rolled out to the desired thickness, then cut into squares and fried. -
savory beignets
Typically, beignets are a dessert, although savory kinds of beignets which are equally as popular. For savory beignets, the dough can be combined with things like riced potatoes or can be filled with various meats, vegetables, and pâtés. Before serving, such beignets are usually only sprinkled with salt and pepper. -
extras
Beignets can be enriched by adding various flavorings like cocoa or bananas to the basic dough, and can be served with various fruit jams and sauces for dipping. -
serving
Serve beigents on plates arranged in order of three, then mound them with powdered sugar. You can pair them with chocolate milk or café au lait.
Recipe variations
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Potato Beignets II
Ready in 1h 40minCourtesy of the New Orleans’ Coquette restaurant, this beignet recipe was published in The Washington Post. It gives directions on how to prepare pâte à choux with the addition of potatoes which is then dropped in scoops into the hot oil and fried until golden and crispy.
Beignets
PREP 30min
COOK 30min
READY IN 1h
This recipe, adapted from NewOrelansOnline.com, the official tourism website of New Orleans, is for beignets made with pâte à choux, which has no yeast. The pâte is dropped into oil in spoonfuls, not rolled, and cut into squares. The recipe makes for approximately 32 beignets.
Ingredients
1 cup water
4 oz unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup, plus 2 tbsp sifted all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
vegetable shortening, for deep frying
confectioner's sugar
Preparation
Step 1/6
Add water, butter, granulated sugar and salt to a small saucepan then bring to a rolling boil. Next, remove from the stove immediately, then add all the flour and stir vigorously.
Step 2/6
Set the heat to low then cook the paste while continuously beating it with a spoon until the dough has formed into a ball and the sides of the saucepan are clean. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate.
Step 3/6
Now, set the hand mixer to medium speed and whisk until the paste is smooth and shiny, then just stir in the vanilla by hand.
Step 4/6
In a deep fryer heat 3 inches of shortening to 370 °F, then drop spoonfuls of the paste into the hot shortening.
Step 5/6
Fry in batches for three minutes only, turning the beignets often, or until they are golden brown.
Step 6/6
Transfer to a paper cloth lined tray to drain, then sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve while still hot.
Other Variations
-
Potato Beignets II
Ready in 1h 40minCourtesy of the New Orleans’ Coquette restaurant, this beignet recipe was published in The Washington Post. It gives directions on how to prepare pâte à choux with the addition of potatoes which is then dropped in scoops into the hot oil and fried until golden and crispy.
Other authentic recipes
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