Tag: beignets

A Mardi Gras Twist on Classic Louisiana Beignets

Mardi Gras, the lively celebration in the heart of New Orleans, calls for a culinary experience that matches its vibrancy. Elevate your festivities with this exquisite Mardi Gras Beignets recipe from Louisiana Cookin– a symphony of golden-fried perfection filled with a decadent creaminess that will transport you straight to the lively streets of the French Quarter.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
  • 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
  • 4¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Cream Cheese Pastry Cream Filling (recipe follows)
  • Milk Glaze (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: purple, yellow, and green sparkling sugars

Beignet Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat boiling water, evaporated milk, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar until well combined. Add yeast mixture and egg, beat until combined. Beat in flour until well combined.
  2. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at medium speed until the dough is smooth and soft, forming a ball at the base of the dough hook, about 6 to 7 minutes. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in the bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375°F. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll half of the dough into a 13×10-inch rectangle(about ¼ inch thick). Trim edges to create a 12×9-inch rectangle. Cut into 3-inch squares, separating them.
  4. Place 2 to 3 squares in hot oil; fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove from oil and let drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cool completely.
  5. Spoon Cream Cheese Pastry Cream Filling into a pastry bag and cut a ¼-inch opening in the tip. Pipe filling into each beignet.
  6. To make the Milk Glaze, Milk Glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Use immediately. Spoon Milk Glaze over beignets, garnish with sparkling sugars if desired.

Cream Cheese Pastry Cream Filling Directions:

Prepare the luscious cream cheese filling that will elevate your beignets to an unparalleled level of indulgence.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well combined.
  2. Add egg yolks and ¼ cup milk, whisking until well combined.
  3. Heat ¾ cup milk in a saucepan until it just begins to boil. Gradually add hot milk to the sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until it starts to boil. Continue whisking until thickened, around 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium heatproof bowl.
  6. Stir in cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until completely combined.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.
  8. Refrigerate until completely cooled, at least 1 hour. Stir before using.

Serve and Enjoy with These Delightful Side Dishes: Fresh Fruit Salad, Mixed Berry Compote, or Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce. These Mardi Gras Beignets are a celebration on a plate, a fusion of crispy exterior and creamy indulgence that captures the essence of the lively carnival spirit. Elevate your Mardi Gras festivities with this iconic New Orleans treat and create unforgettable moments with each delightful bite.

For more delicious recipes, click here.

Classic New Orleans Beignets to Make at Home

The Beignet is a classic Louisiana breakfast staple, but it’s not just for the patio of the norotirous Cafe du Monde, as a“What’s Cooking America” recipe details, homemade beignets are easy to prepare!

Beignets, the New Orleans specialty, are fried, raised pieces of yeast dough, usually around 2 inches in diameter, fried, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are most often enjoyed with cafe au lait, a strong dark roast coffee and chicory, served with equal part hot milk, with no other establishment serving better beignets and accompanying coffee than the original Cafe du Monde coffee stand, established in the New Orleans French Market in 1862 and still operating today.

Though, if you’re ready to enjoy fresh beignets in the comfort of your own home, no matter the location, than set aside approximately 45 minutes of preparation and cooking time, and grab the following ingredients:

  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 1/4 cup sugar (granulated)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, room temperature and beaten
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 4 cups flour (bread flour or all-purpose)
  • 3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying
  • Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) for dusting

The Dough

If you’re using a stand-up mixer with a dough hook, place your water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl.  Beat until smooth.  Remove the beignet dough from bowl and turn out onto a lightly-oiled surface.  Form dough into an oval, place in a lightly-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

If you’re using a Food processor, place water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl of the processor.  Pulse just until smooth. Remove the beignet dough from bowl and turn out onto a lightly-oiled surface.  Form dough into an oval, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

The Beignets

Remove the prepared beignet dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly-floured board to 1/2-inch thickness.  Using a sharp knife, cut dough into approximately 3-inch squares, triangles, or circles (your choice); set aside.

In a deep fryer or large pot, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Then, slide the beignet dough pieces into the hot oil (slowly!), and fry them for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown on both sides. These beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff.

While the beignets are still warm, sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar.  An easy way to coat the hot beignets in powdered sugar is to place the powdered sugar an a clean bag.  Add the beignets to the bag, hold bag close and shake to coat evenly.

Serve beignets while still warm.  Grab yourself a steaming cup of Cafe au Lait or your favorite hot coffee and enjoy!

For more delicious recipes, click here.

Louisiana Desserts Worth Trying

Louisiana is often known for its fantastic seafood, but what about its amazing desserts? Only In Your State lists 10 of the amazing, unique, desserts that you can find in this beautiful southern state known as Louisiana. We are here to share our top 7 from that list.

Bananas Foster Dessert

This dessert was invented by a man named Paul Blange at a restaurant that was opened in 1948 called Brennan’s. This became a very popular dessert due to the large import of bananas in New Orleans. And who doesn’t enjoy ice cream?! This dessert is perfect year round.

Sno-Balls

No, snow-cones and sno-balls are NOT the same thing. Snow-cones are often made from crushed/shaved ice that is more grainy and crunchy. Sno-balls have a fluffy like texture because of how finely the ice is crushed up. Sno-balls are often topped with different toppings and they can even be filled with cream.

Calas Fried Rice Fritters for Dessert

Calas Fried Rice Fritters are often compared to dumplings. They are made up of yeast, rice, sugar, flour and eggs, this is then fried and that’s how the fritters come to life. The best part about this dessert is not only its taste, but also the history behind it. Creole street vendors, who were often women, would sell the Calas Fried Rice Fritters early in the morning in the French Quarter.

Due to the popularity of the beignet, Calas became a less popular dessert. Often being made in home by using leftover rice.  Thankfully due to the work of food preservationists the Calas Fried Rice Fritters have been making a comeback.

Beignets for Dessert

Speaking of beignets, this famous New Orleans treat brings visitors from all around the world. Beignets are made from different varieties of dough and are best served hot. They are deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It can get pretty messy, so you might want to stay away from dark clothes while eating them. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding your favorite fruits on top. Typically they are enjoyed as a meal for breakfast paired perfectly with a nice cup of chicory coffee or even some hot chocolate, but also recommend giving them a go after as a dessert too.

King Cake

The Louisiana style KIng Cake is most commonly known to be popular around the time of Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday”. The New Orleans style is often made of a mixture of coffee cake and cinnamon rolls. These cakes are then iced and sprinkled with Mardi Gras colors: green, purple, and gold.

Remember, if you get the slice with the baby, you have to buy the next cake.

Pecan Pie

Pecans are often found in southern states, meaning Pecan PIe is a perfect recipe. This recipe calls for a filling of butter, sugar, and eggs. Including white or brown sugar. These pies are often associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas too.

Doberge Cake

This cake is layered with cake and dessert pudding. This dessert originated in a New Orleans bakery in 1933. Beulah Levy Ledner developed the idea based off of the Hungarian/Austrian Dobos Cake. These cakes are often filled with half chocolate pudding and half lemon pudding. This dessert is the perfect option for those who need more than one flavor.

For more Louisiana related articles, click here.

 

 

Foods Only Louisiana Natives Know and Love

Louisiana is known for its revelry and its food for good reason- it’s the best in the world.  The unique combinations of spices, meats and other ingredients make Louisiana dishes some of the most flavorful and opulent ones you’ll ever taste.  Some dishes have become favorites for the locals and can be expected at any Louisiana get together or dinner party. We have compiled a list of some Louisiana favorites but click here for a full list.  Grab a napkin and get ready to explore Louisiana culture through your stomach.

1.    Beignets

This delicious deep fried French doughnut made New Orleans’ Café du Monde famous.  Did you even really go to New Orleans if you didn’t check in to Cafe Du Monde?  They are sprinkled with enough powdered sugar to satisfy anyone’s sugar craving. You can also find these delectable desserts stuffed with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients like caramel or fruits.  New Orleans even has a Beignet Festival (powdered sugar heaven!), held in December, that you won’t want to miss.

2.    Pralines

The gooey caramel cookie sprinkled with caramelized pecans can be found in most corner markets in New Orleans and as the years have passed, more and more flavors have been added to the classic recipe. This sugary, buttery candy is made from butter, brown sugar and pecans, cooked in a kettle and dried on wax paper. French nuns brought these treats to New Orleans in the 1700s.They are the perfect compliment to any gift basket or Christmas gift.  The dentist may cringe at this sweet treat but your taste buds certainly won’t!

3.    Boudin

Vegetarians beware! This spicy sausage is filled with seasoned pork and rice and many locals slurp the stuffing out of the casing with one hand, while driving with the other. Boudin is served in links or in boudin balls, which are deep-fried cousins of the iconic Cajun delicacy.  Boudin comes in many flavors and varieties depending on the meats and spices that are included. Earl’s Cajun Market in Lafayette serves up excellent boudin and plate lunches. Head to Scott, Louisiana which is the Boudin Capital of the World. Stop at Billy’s Boudin and Cracklins or Don’s Specialty Meats.  Boudin can also be found on many menus throughout Louisiana.

4.    King Cake

The sweet Danish pastry is a Mardi Gras tradition and usually decorated in colored sugar of purple, green, and gold. Cakes can be plan sugar and cinnamon flavored or have a variety of stuffings like cream cheese, blueberry or other fruit filling, even chocolate or pecan.  The tradition is that whoever finds the baby, which is a tiny plastic replica of a baby, has to buy the next King Cake. The only way to find the baby is to dig in! Bon appetit!

5.    PoBoys

This is a submarine-type sandwich made with French bread. Order it “dressed” if you like your po’boy with mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles and tomato.  A Louisiana favorite comes with fried shrimp or fried oysters but you can get whatever meat you prefer inside. Try one at the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival in New Orleans, held in November. Mother’s Restaurant, also in New Orleans, serves roast beef po’boys with a type of gravy known as debris (pronounced day’-bree). Chris’ Po’boys in Lafayette is among the best restaurants in Cajun Country to satisfy your po’boy cravings.

6. Crawfish Etouffee

This is a Creole dish of rice smothered in a stew of roux, crawfish, herbs and vegetables. The roux (called a “blonde roux” for its lighter color than the kind typically used in gumbo) is a mixture of butter and flour, mixed with celery, bell peppers and onion.  In New Orleans, find crawfish étouffée at Bon Ton Café and Jacque-Imo’s. Outside the Crescent City you’ll find mouthwatering étouffée at The Chimes in Baton Rouge and at Boudreaux & Thibodaux’s in Houma.

For more news and info on Louisiana culture, click here.