Norlens Beignets With Vanilla Sauce Recipes

NEW ORLEANS BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, oil, sugar, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Punch down dough. Turn onto a floured surface; roll into a 16x12-in. rectangle. Cut into 2-in. squares. , In a deep cast-iron or electric skillet, heat 1 inch oil to 375°. Fry squares, in batches, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm beignets in confectioners' sugar.

NORLENS BEIGNETS WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the water, butter, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the butter, then remove from heat.
• Immediately add the flour all at once and stir vigorously to blend.
• Return the mixture to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan, forms a ball, and leaves a film on the bottom of the pan. Should take about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and beat in 1 egg at a time with a wooden spoon. The finished paste should be very smooth. Cover and set aside.
• Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon and place it in a deep plate or shallow soup bowl.
• In a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or almost smoking.
• When the oil is hot, scoop up 1 heaping teaspoonful of the dough, push it off the spoon into a rounded lump with your thumb, and drop into the oil. Increasing the heat slightly, fry 10 - 12 beignets at a time, moving them around in the oil so they brown equally on all sides.
• Remove cooked beignets with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain briefly, then keep them warm in an oven on very low heat. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Roll the warm beignets in the cinnamon sugar and serve at once with the warm creme anglaise on the side.
• NOTE: Cream puff dough can be made up to 6 hours in advance and kept at room temperature; the puffs should be fried just prior to serving.
• CREME ANGLAISE:.
• Place the egg yolks in a medium, heavy saucepan and whisk them over low heat until they are pale in color. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat until the mixture reaches the consistency of cake batter.
• Whisk in the milk, then stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard coats the spoon and a line drawn down the back of the spoon remains visible. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
• If the custard is to be chilled, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the suface to prevent a skin from forming, or dot the top with bits of the optional butter.
• Chill custard for up to 2 days.
• NOTE:.
• If the custard begins to overheat and the egg yolks are forming lumps, remove it immediately from the heat and whisk briskly to cool the mixture. Push the custard through a fine-meshed sieve with the back of a spoon to remove the lumps. If it has not sufficiently thickened, return it to heat to complete cooking.

NEW ORLEANS BEIGNETS

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a big bowl.
• In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, water, and egg; whisk until well blended.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; stir until the batter is well blended and smooth.
• In a deep-fat fryer or deep, heavy skillet, heat about 2 inches of oil over med-high heat until it reaches 325° on a deep fat thermometer.
• Drop the batter by heaping teaspoons into the fat about 10 at a time (never overcrowding the vessel), fry until golden brown, 6-7 minutes, and drain on paper towels.
• Place the powdered sugar in a fine sieve and sprinkle generously over the beignets.

NEW ORLEANS BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose and barley flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
• Add the melted butter and vanilla, mixing well.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Divide the dough into two balls.
• On a floured surface, knead each ball 10 to 20 times and roll out into a 9 x 9 inch square that is 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut the big square into 12 smaller squares.
• Pour oil into cast-iron Dutch oven or other deep, heavy bottomed pot until it reaches a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.
• Fry 3 or 4 beignets at a time, turning once shortly after dropping them into the hot oil, for about 2 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.