Pate a choux pastry is used to make all sorts of dessert deliciousness. Churros, éclairs, profiteroles, and even towering croquembouches are made from choux pastry. Beignets can also be made from choux but isn’t often used in the South; most chefs make the chewier, rolled yeast variety of beignets like they serve at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. I prefer a fluffy choux beignet which have been made famousby my buddy Panini Pete. If you make it to his place in Fairhope or Mobile, Alabama, you'll see an early morning line forming for Pete's beignets. They taste more like a hot doughnut and are delicious fried dough heaven. Sprinkled with Confectioners’ sugar while they are hot. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. These won’t hold well once your squeeze the lemon over them but then again, they’ll go so fast you won’t have to worry about that.
FLUFFY BEIGNETS
Prep Time: 12 minutes Cook Time: 7-8 minutes per batch
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups water
6 ounces unsalted butter
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
6 eggs, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Canola oil for frying
Food thermometer
Confectioners’ sugar and lemon wedges for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Put canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and bring it to 350 degrees F.
Mix the salt into the flour.
Put the water and butter in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour all at one time to combine and form dough which will pull away from the side of the pan. Switch to a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, two at a time, blending well with the wooden spoon between each addition. Beat the dough with the wooden spoon until it goes from ‘slippery’ and glossy to matte. Add the vanilla and stir to incorporate.
Scoop the dough with a small ice cream scoop and place in the hot oil. Take care not to over crowd the pot or the temperature of the oil will drop and your beignets will soak up oil. Fry for 7-8 minutes, turning the beignets around frequently in the oil. Drain on paper toweling.
Serve warm with a dusting of Confectioners’ sugar and lemon, lime, or orange wedges.
