Sourdough Beignets
Sourdough beignets are warm, pillowy pockets of fried dough showered in powdered sugar and piled high for a special breakfast or a scrumptious dessert.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cream 180 g
- ⅓ cup cane sugar 67 g
- 1 cup sourdough starter active and bubbly 227 g
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons butter melted and cooled 42 g
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 350 g
- 1 teaspoon salt 5g
- Neutral oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream until warm but not hot. Add the sugar, whisking until dissolved, then allow to cool. (If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast in the sourdough starter.)
- Transfer the cream mixture to a large bowl, then add the active starter, egg, melted butter, flour, and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Place the dough onto a clean surface and knead for around 5 minutes or until the dough feels smooth.
- Set the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise until doubled in size. In a warm location, this might take 6-8 hours (or longer if your kitchen is cooler).
- After it has doubled, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle that is about ¼-½” thick. Cut the dough into 1½ inch squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. They don’t need to be perfectly even or uniform, though keep in mind that larger beignets will cook more slowly than smaller ones.
- Place the cut beignets onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel again and let rise for 1½ to 2 hours (or until about doubled in size) in a warm place.
- To cook the beignets, fill a deep, heavy pot with about 2-3 inches of neutral oil. Heat until the oil reaches 330-350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry about 3-5 pieces at a time for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place the beignets on a cooling rack or a tray lined with paper towels to let any excess oil drip off.
- Dust the beignets with a generous amount of powdered sugar while they are still warm, repeat the process with the remaining dough, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Feed your starter so that it is near its peak when you are ready to use it. Looking to use up your discard? Check out this collection of sourdough discard dessert recipes.
- Use a stand mixer for a simpler mixing/kneading process.
- Don't roll out your dough too thin or the beignets won't puff up well.
- It's a great idea to set this up assembly line style: prepare your dough, hot oil, cooling rack or tray, and powdered sugar ahead of time.
- Beignets are best enjoyed while fresh and don't reheat as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 653IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3mg