Fluffy Beignets

Why make beignets?

Learn to make beignets for the holidays, events or birthdays just to make someone smile when they bite into the warm soft pastry. This recipe can make about one dozen cookie cutter shaped beignets or about 24 of the classic shaped beignet.

Ingredients w/ measurements:

• (1/2 teaspoon) Yeast
• (1/4 cup) Water at 100°- 110° Fahrenheit
• (2 tablespoons) All - Vegetable shortening
• (4 cups) All - purpose flour
• (1/2 teaspoon) Salt
• (1/4 cup) Sugar
• (1) Egg
• (1/2) cup) Heavy whipping cream
• (1/2 cup) Warm water
• (1/2 teaspoon) optional cinnamon
• Powdered sugar
• Frying oil - vegetable oil

Equipment:

• Mixing bowls
• Handle roller
• Measuring cups
• Thermometer
• Baking sheets
• Dish Towels
• Knife

Gather all materials to start creating fluffy beignets. Start with have water at 100-110° Fahrenheit with the 1/2 teaspoon of yeast and stir. Stir and wait about 5-10 mins for the yeast to activate.

While waiting for the yeast, we can start mixing our ingredients together. Start of by adding all- vegetable shortening to the mixing bowl, salt, sugar, heavy whipping cream, egg, all-purpose flour, and the warm water. Mix. Combine all together with the yeast mixture. You can mix all ingredients together by using a mixer in the correct setting (dough setting) or simply just use your hands. The dough is ready when it still sticking to your hands just add more flour. The dough needs to be resting for about 30 mins to 1hr cover with the dish towel.

After waiting for the dough to rise, we can create start creating a shape. Use a handle roller to flatten the dough don't make it too thin or thick (make it about 1/3 or 1/4 inch thick). With the knife you can make the classic square shape beignet, but with the cookie cutters you can make can fun shape for the holidays or events.

Create your desire shape and wait about 2-3 hrs to let the dough rise. After an hour you can see that your dough beings to rise, if not it means that the water when activating the yeast was too low or too high which killed the yeast.

You're almost done! In this step we need a frying pan and frying oil, such as vegetable oil. The oil needs to be around a temperature of 350 ° Fahrenheit. Tip: If you don't have a thermometer that can be used in oil just leave the oil in low - medium heat for about 10 mins and check if the oil is ready by putting a wooden spoon and checking if it bubbles around it.

By using a small strainer put powdered sugar all over the beignets with a side of honey. Enjoy!