The Perfect Beignet Donuts At Home (2 Ways)
We went to New Orleans to try traditional beignets, and came back to figure out how to make them the best.
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Joshua Weissman•
Mar 30, 2022
Ingredients (25)
Ingredients (25)
Classic Beignet Donut: Dough
Sweet Version
King Crab Beignets
Directions
Dough
In a container, add water and milk; heat to 95℉, whisk in yeast and sugar til dissolved.
In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and amylase. To the milk mixture, whisk in a whole egg and one egg yolk, and while constantly whisking, slowly stream in melted butter (<100℉) until everything is homogenous.
Add your liquid to your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, turn it on to medium-low, and add your flour in; ¼ cup at a time until all the flour has been added and you have a rough dough. Remove bowl from the stand mixer, and knead by hand for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth. Next, roll your dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled.
Punch down your dough to release the air and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Dust it with flour and roll it out until you get an even size rectangle, about a ¼” thick. Cut 2” wide long strips down your dough, then cut across the strips at 2” intervals to get 2 x 2” squares.
Place each square on a lined parchment paper baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 5 minutes.
Fill a large, heavy-bottom pot halfway with oil (about 3.5 quarts for a 7 quart pot) and set it in a candy/deep fryer thermometer. Heat up to 330 degrees Fahrenheit and add in as many squares as you can without overcrowding; fry your squares, flipping occasionally to color both sides, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Sweet Version
When your beignets are cooked and still hot dust generously with confectioners sugar
King Crab Beignets
In a medium mixing bowl, add creme fraiche, mayo, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire, chives, celery, salt and pepper to taste, zest and juice of 1 lemon, and mix until homogeneous.
Then add crab and gently fold together—adjust salt levels if needed.
Cut open one fresh fried beignet like a pocket and stuff it with your crab mix. Repeat with as many beignets as you like.
Place your crab beignets on a plate, top them with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, chives, and fresh cracked black pepper.
