Man Catchin' Beignets

Mardis Gras or “Fat Tuesday” is the last day to eat rich fatty foods before the onset of fasting for Lent. Lent is a season to give up certain habits we become slaves to or tastes we have a liking towards and transform ourselves to have the mind of Christ. Until Easter, I’ll be sharing mostly vegetarian recipes with a few seafood dishes.

Ever since I saw the Disney movie #ThePrincessAndTheFrog I’ve been wanting to go to NOLA and try beignets for myself! So I’ve never been to Café du Monde and tasted them and therefore don’t have a way of comparing, but these came out great, if I do say so myself. When Tiana pulls out that tray of those beignets drizzled with honey and dusted with powdered sugar, I feel like I can taste in my mouth just how scrumptious these these pillowy treats are!

They ended up being so much easier to make than I anticipated. I read through a TON of recipes and took tips and tricks from different ones and came up with this fool-proof one. They are crunchy on the outside, light and hollow on the inside, and perfect for any time. I hope you feel inspired to join in this season of fasting, prayer, and meditation as we are transformed in faith.

*Recipe* - 3/4 c warm water - 3/4 c warm milk - 1 packet of dry active yeast - 1/3 c sugar - 3 T melted butter - 1 T vanilla extract - 3 c bread flour - 2 t salt - Powdered sugar

* In a bowl combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, warm milk, and melted butter. Mix together and cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 mins. It should become frothy on top. * Pour your yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric mixture and add 2 c of the bread flour and the salt and mix on low-med for 3-4 mins. Then add in the remaining 1 c of flour and mix again for another 4-5 mins. Your dough should be springy and sticky to the touch. * Take a bowl and butter the inside of it well. Using a pastry scraper, transfer your dough to the bowl and turn it around to ensure its covered with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and proof (rise) for 1 hour. I kept it on the proof setting in my oven just so it’s not bothered. It should double in size. * Dust your working surface, GENEROUSLY with flour and turn out your dough onto it. Turn it and make sure its covered with flour, then roll out to a 1/4 in thickness. If you want them more crispy, you can roll them out even thinner. * Cover with a damp towel and let them proof for another 30 mins. * Using a pizza cutter cut your dough into small squares, which is the traditional shape. * Heat up a pot filled a quarter of the way up with oil. Once hot, place your squares into the oil and fry for 2-3 mins or until golden brown on each side. Turn them after the first 30 seconds to ensure that you get that pillow shape. * Once fried, let them drain on a paper towel, and coat them with a lot or a little bit of powdered sugar, as you like, and serve them with a cup of coffee.