Beer Beignets
This style of Beer Donut | Doughnut originated in New Orleans. Café Du Monde, a restaurant in the French Quarter, now famous for serving beignets, heavily coated in powdered sugar, along with a cup of coffee. These Beer Beignets are, of course made with beer. The beer style will change the flavor of the finished donut | doughnut, using a stronger flavored beer will carry those flavors into the final Beer Beignets. The dough is best when made ahead and refrigerated to slowly raise overnight, then rolled out and fried very quickly in the morning for a decadent breakfast, brunch, dessert or snack.
Instead of just powdered sugar, I suggest using a Malted Powdered Sugar, that mixes Dry Malt Extract or DME into the powdered sugar, making them slightly less sweet and bringing more flavor to the finishing Beer Donut | Doughnut. Try pairing these Beer Beignets with a coffee stout or porter to make a great “Beer Breakfast” pairing, instead of Chicory Coffee.
These Creole | Cajun Cuisine classic Beer Donuts | Doughnuts are perfect for breakfast or to finish a great Fat Tuesday | Mardi Gras Day feast!
Serves: 4 – 6 people
Adapted from BeerAdvocate Magazine: Cuisine à la Bière | May 2017 | Issue #124
Servings | Prep Time |
4-6 guests | 10 minute |
Cook Time | Passive Time |
3 minute | 8-24 hour |
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Beer Beignets are a take on New Orleans style donuts | doughnuts, using the beers style to create a wonderful flavor, then topped with Malted Powdered Sugar, served pipping hot!
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- 1 cup beer, such as Russian Imperial Stout or Quadrupel
- 1/4 cup sugar, brown, light
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher
- 1 each egg, extra large, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon butter, unsalted softened
- 1/2 cup milk, evaporated, canned (key to recipe's success)
- 3 cup flour, bread or all-purpose, plus extra for rolling out the dough
- 1 cup flour, barley such as Central Milling Organic Barley Flour
- 1 tablespoon yeast, instant active
- 1-2 quart oil, such as Rice Bran, Peanut or Vegetable for frying
- 1 recipe Malted Powdered Sugar recipe HERE
- Using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the beer, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flours, and yeast to the work bowl.
- Mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated together. Then increase the speed to medium to knead the dough for 3 – 4 minutes to create some gluten. Lightly dust a work surface with extra flour and turn the dough out onto it. Knead by hand for a minute, forming the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough ball into a large seal-able container with a lid coated with vegetable oil, to prevent sticking. Turn and flip the dough over inside the bowl to coat evenly in oil. This prevents a dry crust from forming. Cover the container and refrigerate at 36°F | 2°C for 8 – 24 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. The dough will have risen slowly overnight, creating a more flavorful donut | doughnut. Let the dough warm for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the container onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin or a 22 ounce bottle, roll the dough to a large rectangle, about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a paring knife or a cookie cutter, cut the dough into squares, diamonds, or circles approximately 3-inches across.
- In a deep fryer or a large Dutch oven, heat the oil to 360°F | 182°C. Fry the beignets in batches of 4 – 5, cooking 2 – 3 minutes or until they’re puffed and golden brown on both sides (beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff).
- Turn them with tongs once or twice to ensure even browning.
- Using a skimmer or tongs, remove the beignets from the hot oil.
- Place the Beer Beignets onto a sheet tray lined with paper towels or a paper bag underneath a cooling rack to catch any excess oil.
- Coat the hot beignets evenly in Malted Powdered Sugar.
- Serve the Beer Beignets immediately.
Love Beer Donuts | Doughnuts?
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