Beignets
Photo: Lionel Allorge · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Beignets are the French Creole take on the choux pastry doughnut, brought to New Orleans by French colonists in the 18th century. Cafe du Monde opened as a coffee stand in the French Market in 1862 and built the beignet-and-cafe-au-lait tradition that the city still runs on. After the Civil War cut off coffee imports, New Orleanians stretched their grounds with chicory root, and the chicory-coffee-plus-beignet pairing became canonical. Cafe du Monde's recipe has not changed since 1862. Cafe Beignet on Royal opened in 1990 as the sit-down alternative. The beignet was named Louisiana's official state doughnut in 1986.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 16Hands-on 30 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 240ml warm water (40C)
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 240ml evaporated milk
  • 550g all-purpose flour
  • 60g unsalted butter, softened
  • Neutral oil for deep frying
  • 200g powdered sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Whisk yeast, water and a pinch of the sugar in a bowl. Rest 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Whisk in the remaining sugar, eggs, salt and evaporated milk. Add 300g of the flour and stir to combine. Mix in the butter.
  3. Add remaining flour 50g at a time until a soft dough forms (you may not need all of it). Knead 5 minutes. Cover and rest 90 minutes until doubled.
  4. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1cm thick. Cut into 6cm squares.
  5. Heat 5cm of oil to 175C (350F). Fry beignets 60 seconds per side until puffed and golden. Drain on rack.
  6. Dust generously with powdered sugar while still warm. Serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. The dough is soft and sticky; resist adding too much flour. Powdered sugar must be dusted while the beignets are still hot enough that it melts slightly into the surface.

Where to eat beignets

Beignets in New Orleans

Cafe du Monde ★ 4.4

$$ CafeUntil Open 24 hours daily

Cafe du Monde in New Orleans is the 1862 French Market coffee stand on Decatur Street opposite Jackson Square, with beignets and chicory cafe au lait around.

TryBeignets and cafe au lait

TipThe original stand is open 24 hours; visit 03:00-07:00 to skip the queue entirely.

Directions

Cafe Beignet on Royal Street ★ 4.0

$ CaféWork-friendlyWifi

Cafe Beignet on Royal Street in New Orleans is the 1990 French Quarter beignet cafe at 334 Royal, with sit-down service, a small courtyard and a Cafe du.

DrinkCafe au lait

TipThe Royal Street courtyard is the most-pleasant of the chain's locations; live jazz on weekends.

Directions

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