Blueberry Beignets Recipes

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a medium-size bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast and whisk well to combine. Sit aside for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture has bubbled up and become foamy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and evaporated milk. Beat in 3 and 1/2 cups of the flour until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly pour in the yeast mixture (careful here - this mixture can splash up if added to quickly!); beat until smooth. Add in the butter and beat until incorporated. Finally, beat in the remaining 3 and 1/2 cups of flour and salt. Beat until dough is smooth and cohesive; about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with three layers of paper towels, set aside.
• In a large enameled cast-iron pan, heat 4-inches of oil to 360 degrees (F). Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 2 and 1/2-inch squares.
• In batches, fry the dough until they puff up and are golden brown in color, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beignets to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve at once!

BLUEBERRY BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries and granulated sugar and lightly mash together with a fork. Stir in the eggs and half-and-half.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the blueberry mixture, and whisk until combined. Allow the mixture to rest 10 minutes before frying.
• Pour enough oil to come to the maximum line in an electric fryer or halfway up the side of a deep, large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil to 360 degrees F.
• Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, carefully drop the batter into the hot oil, cooking 4 to 6 beignets at a time; don't crowd them. If using a deep fryer, shake the basket to loosen the beignets from the bottom if they're sticking. Cook the beignets until golden, about 6 minutes. If you're frying them in a pot, the beignets will sink to the bottom, then float up to the top, where you can turn them for even coloring.
• Using a slotted spoon, tongs, or a spider, transfer the fried beignets to paper towels to drain briefly, then add to a large bowl along with the confectioners' sugar, and toss to coat. Set the beignets on a serving platter. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
• To serve, dust the beignets a final time with confectioners' sugar, and serve hot.

FOODCHANNEL EDITOR

Steps:

• 1 FOR THE BLUEBERRY SAUCE: Puree all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Strain through fine sieve into heavy medium saucepan. Season sauce to taste with more sugar, if necessary. Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until syrupy, about 20 minutes. 2 DO-AHEAD TIP:Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. 3 FOR THE BEIGNETS:Combine milk and yeast in large bowl; let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Whisk in sugar, eggs and melted butter. Add 3 cups flour and stir to form moist sticky dough. 4 Knead dough on floured work surface, incorporating flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic, and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes. Form into ball. Lightly oil same large bowl; place dough in bowl. Cover with kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes. 5 Heat shortening in deep fryer to 325ºF. 6 Transfer dough to floured work surface. Punch dough down; cover with kitchen towel and let stand for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle dough with flour. Using rolling pin, roll out dough into 12-inch square. Using pizza cutter, trim edges slightly to form perfect square. Cut dough crosswise into 4 equal strips. Cut each strip into 6 pieces, forming 24 rectangles total. 7 Working in batches, fry dough rectangles in hot oil until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Using slotted metal spoon, transfer beignets to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. 8 Arrange 3 beignets on each of 8 plates. Ladle blueberry sauce over and around beignets. Generously sprinkle powdered sugar over beignets. Alternatively, place beignets on platter. Generously sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve blueberry sauce alongside.

BLUEBERRY FRITTERS (BEIGNETS AUX MYRTILLE)

Steps:

• in a medium bowl, whisk together sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon with a hand whisk, and place aside. In another mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter cooled to room temperature. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until combined with a rubber spatula. Add blueberries and gently mix.
• heat the frying oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it reaches 355 F/180 C with a cooking thermometer. Slowly drop a small cookie scoop of batter into the oil and fry until golden or slightly dark brown, about 2 to 4 minutes on each side.
• Flip fritters using a fork or metal tongs and fry until they are golden brown. To test for doneness, insert a small knife in the center (be careful of oil splashes!). If there is still raw dough in the knife, fry a bit longer. Using a slotted metal spoon or metal spatula, transfer to a wire rack lined with a paper towel and let cool. Repeat with the remaining batter while checking the temperature of the oil throughout the process.
• Dust with icing (powdered) sugar and serve.

BEIGNETS WITH MISSISSIPPI BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the blueberries, the 3/4 cup of sugar, and water, puree in a food processor, and pass through a fine sieve. Taste, and add more sugar if necessary. Set aside.
• To make the beignets, combine and sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl.
• Combine the water, milk, and egg in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 325F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Use 2 teaspoons, one in each hand. Lift a spoonful of batter with one spoon, and push the batter into the hot oil with the other. Fry no more than 10 beignets at a time; crowding the pot will reduce the oil temperature and cause the beignets to be greasy and soggy.
• Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature at 325°F Fry each batch for 6 to 7 minutes, until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Check for doneness by splitting one open.
• Drain on a rack or paper towels. Soon after removing the beignets from the oil, place the powdered sugar into a sieve and generously dust the beignets with the sugar.
• Ladle equal portions of the blueberry sauce onto each of 6 plates, and arrange 5 beignets around the sauce.