I went to a party on Friday night. That’s probably not the kind of news that will get me short-listed for a job as a BBC correspondent but people, there was a lobby. In the house I mean. I’d never been to a house with a lobby. I mean, have you ever been to a house with a lobby? In an apartment building, sure, but a house? Didn’t think so. Especially a lobby that feels like the inside of a spaceship (wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-floor embossed aluminium floor sheeting, anyone?)
Anyway, I went bearing beignets. Even though the person who arrived just before me brought a truffle as a housewarming gift, I felt these babies could hold their own. They are like…Like the love-child of a cloud and custard. The custard is suspended in this egg-shell-like, delicately crisp pocket and smothered in sugar.
Beignets are, I think, a thing from New Orleans. Even though I’ve never stepped foot in the States yet (yet, I say!) the food of the south seems to call me.
I have to admit up-front, I like deep-frying. Deep-frying is a dealbreaker for a lot of people but apart from the possible smell (open the windows) and danger aspect (uh, be careful) and oh, the ruinous to waistline aspect (sorry, can’t help you out) it’s a cinch.
I made them the first time while we were camping (proof, I feel, of their easygoing nature; I didn’t have scales and just eyeballed the amounts) and when I gave some to our Roman camp-neighbours we became fast friends. Now I know how to say cork-screw in Italian (cavatappi, like the pasta, in case you’re interested).
I know I’m probably not going to change the minds of the hardcore anti-deep-fryers out there but fence-sitters, this one is for you. If you ever thought “I wouldn’t mind deep-frying some stuff one day” let this recipe be the one that pops your deep-frying cherry. And to all of my deep-fry-lovin’ brethren, well – you’ve probably got the oil heating already.
What’s your kitchen dealbreaker?
Beignets
I’m afraid this is another of those recipes I just have pasted in my scrapbook with no attribution so I’ve left the amounts as is but worded it how I’d want to be talked through. If you recognise where it’s from, please let me know. Makes about 15.
125 ml (scant half a cup) water
60 grams (1/4 cup) butter
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
70 grams (generous half cup) plain flour
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Neutral flavoured oil for deep frying
Caster sugar or icing sugar for dredging (icing sugar is traditional but I found the caster sugar better)
Prepare a plate with paper towels on it to drain the beignets and a plastic bag with 4-5 tablespoons of the sugar or icing sugar in it to start with, you can add more as you need it.
Bring the water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil in a medium sized pot over medium heat.
Meanwhile put in enough oil to come half way up the sides of another pot and heat over medium high.
Add all the flour to the butter mixture at once and stir until the mixture forms a mass, then stir for another 2 minutes.
Transfer the mass to a bowl, allow to cool slightly, and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a hand-mixer for 2 minutes on medium after each addition, adding the vanilla extract at the end. The batter will be shiny and smooth.
When the oil is 185 celsius (365 fahrenheit) or when a cube of white bread dropped into it turns golden after 10 seconds, drop tablespoonsful of the batter into the hot oil – they will puff up to about 4 times the original size so don’t crowd the pot.
When golden, turn them over.
When the second side is golden, drain well on paper towels and shake well in the sugar-filled bag.
Serve warm.
Leave a comment, make my day!
I really enjoy fried food and make it every couple of months. Better to eat fried food at home where you know the oil is fresh then in some restaurant! I have yet to find a beignet recipe I like…could this be the one I have been searching for? Let’s see!
Wow, did you not get some sneaky photos of the lobby? The beignets sound delish, I didn’t realise how close they are to choux paste. I don’t like frying because of the smell in the house but I love the taste and the outdoor cooking idea for summer could be a good theme and not look like I am neurotic about fat smell!
great post and nice writing, i love these custard clouds!
I totally have a fear of the deep fryer! My husband wants to buy one of those fry-daddy things but I keep saying no – and not just because of the fat content. But I did manage to fry tortilla chips this weekend. So maybe I’m on a roll… beignets could be next! They look awesome.
I’m up for these little pearlers – not even slightly concerned about the deep fry aspects & share your interest in the whole (US) southern food concept too. So, bring it on I say :)
I’m not bothered about the health aspect and frankly, these moral people who tell you sugar is bad etc. get on my nerves, especially when they come to tea! I’m terrified of frying, although have made some inroads on my fear in the past year and may one day, pluck up the courage to make these. I’m also dying to make Baci di Ricotta (Ricotta kisses) which involves frying spoonfuls of it and then coating them in icing sugar.
I’ve made and written about those! I was in Italy and didn’t have my camera though so I have to do some pics before I blog them.
Ever since I watched an impatient person tip 10l of soapy water into a fired up commercial deep fat fryer and the resulting oily explosion, i have been cautious of fat frying. However, some of the delightfully light fried foods I had in Tokyo has just about changed my mind. This will be added to the increasingly long list of reasons to get fryin’. That and good ol’ southern’ soul food (it’s in my – ever expanding genes).
As for dealbreakers in the kitchen – mine’s probably flambeeing food – fine in a commercial kitchen, but in our Victorian terrace kitchen? No way!
first of all, those frying beignets look FREAKY MAN, like alien foetuses about to come all out and like take over your kitchen. scary.
second of all, deep frying makes EVERYTHING extra yum. Ah *sigh* we’ve now shared churros.
thirdly, I MISS YOU SASA :*(
I know, they puff up so freakily fast too, I should have done a video. Those churros were awesome – we’ll hang in Aussie ^_^
Beignets are WONDERFUL, and yes, they are indigenous to New Orleans. Have you really never been to the States? Crazy – and here I thought you’d been everywhere. My sister-in-law’s parents are from New Orleans, so I have been there many times.. I love it there. Great city.
Sounds like Friday was a cool party =)
These look so good. They remind me of the Bolinhas de Chuva that I used to eat in Brazil.
I just Googled that and they sounds amazing, the translation was Brazilian “raindrop” doughnuts, cute ^_^
wow- go you. i have had them in new orleans and they are sooo yum. yours look equally delicious.
Thanks Bridget!
I’m afraid of making the perfect poached eggs!! Weird? :)
Not weird! I have that fear! I break them into a cup first if I’m feeling particularly afraid.
As a native Southerner, I approve :). If you do ever find yourself in New Orleans, skip the big places like Cafe du Monde and hit up the hole in the wall dives. Cafe du Monde is perfectly good, but the small places put a little extra love into it.
My mom used to make these for us for breakfast all the time, to go with our coffee (I started young). Love them hot out of the fryer.
Every now and then… why not!! But I like home-made, so I know what kind of fat it has been used :-).
Yes I am fussy :-)
Sasa you make it so hard to be good! These are definitely going on my “Sasa’s recipes to make” list (yes, it exists and it’s far too long).
Sasa! Love the title, “Deep Fear of Deep Fry.” Haha, wonderful…
You’d love New Orleans, btw. I have many a thing to show you when you’re down there ;)
So now I have at least 3 southerners/honorary southerners to call on when I make it there, yay!
Sasa, your beignets look very inviting – can I come over? It has been SOOOO hot in SoCal:(
And no, I do not fear fried foods (the Central-European doughnuts make an appearance at our house frequently, as does the fried yeast dough for breakfast).
I do not really fear anything in the kitchen, but i am very apprehensive about the soft milky yeast doughs – they never seem to be so billowy as my mother’s…
I tried pflaumkuchen the other day and I won’t be blogging for the same reason, the dough just wasn’t that billowy…Will perservere!
Sasa, you’re a fly on my wall! My windows are all wide open, airing out the house, having fried apple fritters AND potato chips tonight. A first for both. I was once a dedicated member of the anti-fry camp, then decided to bite the bullet when my third was in the baby sling. Figured I could keep her out of hot bubbling oil, all contained like that. Not exactly wise, but she made it to two. I took the plunge because — of all reasons — I wanted to seal my wok seasoning, and this bit worked like a charm. The fritters (ricotta, or baci di something…) were also pretty charming, and a favorite of the littles. I’ve since found it fantastically easy, and am kind of coming to love it, for that. The only hurdle for me, still, is the smell, gah. Any tips for ridding the house of the stench?!
Happy hot bubbling oil to you. And I’ll wish on a star that you make it to the states :) (The beignets in New Orleans are fine, by the way, but rarely any better than those you make yourself. And often, cold and clammy and much worse!)
Um, fry outside? Or leave a cup of vinegar in the room. But then the room smells like vinegar, heh.
Have you tried calas? These are beignets with rice. You use the rice you have left over or scraped from the bottom and side of the pot, with eggs, flour, baking powder and baking soda, sugar, salt, dash of nutmeg and warm milk. Humm, this may be more of a fritter. But they were sold on the street, warm and my brother would have them with chocolate sauce. If you come to Louisiana, try getting here for the Jazz and Heritage Festival or in the early spring when things are blooming. Fall is a nice time, late October, after hurricane season.
No but OMG I want to! I mean, rice and doughnuts, practically my favourite things, TOGETHER!
Glorious beignets !
Oh wow, they look amazing! I love the shapes.
I like deep-frying too. I do spend the whole time imagining what it would feel like to spill hot oil down my front (sore), but I guess that’s good if it makes me more cautious? It is satisfying to watch things puff and turn golden. I’ve never tried beignets, but I might have to now.
ok, so this is not a food related question but a table cloth related one. the cool small lace table cloth on the last picture – where does it come from? how is it made? at first i thought it was crochet, but after a closer look it seem to be more like some kind of weaving? do you know the name of the technique, because then i could look further for directions…
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