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Beignets with Honey




Source of Recipe


cooking.com






Recipe Introduction


These yeast-risen doughnuts are pure glory. A variation on a breakfast specialty of New Orleans, they hint of the French influence. To make these in the traditional manner, cut them into squares, omit the honey, and dust them generously with powdered sugar instead. These may just take yourself back to romantic mornings spent at a French Quarter inn.






List of Ingredients



• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for kneading
  
• 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 2/3 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  
• 1 whole egg, plus 1 egg yolk
  
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
  
• 1/2 cup honey, plus warmed honey for serving
  
• Confectioners' sugar
  






Instructions



1. In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
   
2. To the yeast mixture, add the melted butter, whole egg and egg yolk and whisk together just until blended. Then add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and stir together to form a dough. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Form into a smooth ball.
   
3. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
   
4. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface, punch it down, then cover with the bowl and let stand for about 15 minutes. Roll out the dough about 3/8 inch thick. Using a round cutter 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many pieces as possible. Gather together the scraps, roll out one more time and cut out more rounds. Cover the rounds with a kitchen towel and let rise until nearly doubled in size and very light, about 20 minutes.
   
5. In a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, pour the vegetable oil to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fat frying thermometer, or until a small piece of dough dropped into the oil browns in about 2 1/2 minutes. Working in batches of 4 or 5, add the beignets and fry until a nice golden brown on the first side, 2-3 minutes. Turn them carefully and fry on the second side until golden, 2-3 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep warm until all the beignets are cooked.
   
6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1/2 cup honey until it is liquefied. When the beignets are ready, lightly brush the tops with the honey and arrange them on a platter. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops. Serve immediately with extra warmed honey on the side.
   






Final Comments


Makes 16-20 beignets