French Vanilla Beignets (Printer-Friendly Layout)
Fluffy, airy French beignets packed with vanilla and finished in a sweet powdered sugar blanket.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 -
0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
02 -
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
03 -
50 g granulated sugar
04 -
315 g all-purpose flour
→ Wet ingredients
05 -
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
06 -
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
07 -
240 ml warm milk (about 43°C)
→ For frying and finishing
08 -
Powdered sugar, for dusting
09 -
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 -
If you're not eating the beignets right away, pop them on a wire rack to cool down a bit and keep that crunch outside.
02 -
Pile on the powdered sugar while the beignets are still hot, then dig in right away while they're fresh and warm.
03 -
Drop the dough squares in the oil a few at a time, flipping them once after a minute or two until they're puffy and brown. Use a slotted spoon to pull them out, and drain off the oil on some paper towels.
04 -
Fill your fryer or deep saucepan with about 5 cm of oil, then heat it up to 182°C. A thermometer is handy to get it just right.
05 -
Knock the air out of the dough, then roll it out with a bit of flour until it's about 6 mm thick. Cut it into 5 by 5 cm squares with a pizza wheel or sharp knife.
06 -
Put the dough in a bowl that's been greased up, toss it around to coat, cover it with a towel, and set it somewhere warm for 90 minutes until it's puffed up and doubled.
07 -
Move the dough onto a floured counter and knead for 8 to 10 minutes so it gets elastic and smooth. If it sticks too much, just sprinkle on a touch more flour.
08 -
Slowly stir the wet stuff into the dry in a big bowl with a wooden spoon. Keep going until anything powdery is mixed in and it starts to look shaggy.
09 -
In another bowl, whisk up the warm milk, melted butter, and vanilla until they're all mixed in. Make sure your milk is warm, not hot, or you'll mess up the yeast.
10 -
Use a big bowl and whisk together salt, yeast, sugar, and flour so they're all mingled evenly.
# Extra Tips and Tricks:
01 -
Watch that oil! If it gets too hot, your beignets will look done outside but be doughy inside. Right temp means they're cooked through.
02 -
Let your dough rise faster by sliding the bowl into a slightly warm oven. Stick a bowl of hot water underneath to boost humidity.
03 -
Eat beignets the day you make them if you can. If they've gone cold, a quick warm in the oven at 150°C will bring back the softness outside.