In the summer of 2002 my friend, Beth, and I flew across the country to spend a week with my good friend and roommate of the previous year at her home in Mississippi. In a show of true southern hospitality, Julie not only showed us around her native Hattiesburg (including the incredible salvage and surplus chain, Dirt Cheap), but also the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama (which included a lunch of throwed rolls at Lambert's Cafe); the Civil War memorial at Vicksburg; and the French Quarters of New Orleans.
The best part, hands down, of our quick tour of New Orleans was our stop at Cafe du Monde. We ordered a heaping plate of warm beignets, and I really haven't been the same since. Oh, they were heavenly! In the months after my trip, I kicked myself more than a few times for not coming home with any ready-made mixes so I could make my own. But then it recently dawned on me (and I'm not sure why it took so long for that to happen) that I could probably search for a recipe and make some from scratch with (hopefully) not too much difficulty.
I was going to try this recipe, but could never find a big enough window in my day to let the dough rise. (More truthfully, if I wanted to make beignets for breakfast, which I did, there was no way I'd be willing to get up at 5 a.m. to do so.) But then I came across a few much simpler, yeast-free versions. Something like that was more within my realm of possibility.
Last night, in an effort to make our cop-out breakfast-for-dinner a little more exciting, I made my first batch of beignets. They were easy peasy, and oh so delicious. Perhaps not exactly like what is served at Cafe du Monde, but neither I nor my taste buds have been there in 9 years, so we can't tell the difference. These were definitely good enough, and I will most certainly be making them again -- soon.
Simple Beignets
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sifted flour
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
Oil for frying
Confectioners' sugar
In a medium pan, heat butter, sugar, salt, and water to boiling. Remove pan from heat and add flour all at once; stir vigorously until ingredients are combined thoroughly and dough leaves side of pan and forms a ball. Add vanilla, then eggs, on at a time, stirring vigorously. Dough should be smooth and glossy.
In another pan, heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 375 degrees on a thermometer. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough into hot oil and fry beignets, a few at a time, until golden, turning occasionally. (Each beignet will puff up to about 2 inches in diameter when done.) Drain on paper towels. Dust beignets heavily with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.
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2 comments:
mmmm... Cafe du Monde and Beignets. Soooo very good. Living in Louisiana, we are in the midst of some wonderful food. Just today, I made crawfish pie, oh boy, was that every good. Ashley and I went to New Orleans a couple of years ago, and we went to Cafe du Monde and some beignets. I've wanting a recipe for them ever since. I'll have to try yours. By the way did you go to the Gumbo Shoppe?
Glad you made them! We just get ours at disneyland cause they're shaped like mickey!
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