Cider Beignets
MAKES
about 30 beignets
TAKES
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Warm, spiced, and just a little appley - perfect for fall! These beignets are easy to make, and are dreamy served warm with tons of powdered sugar. Add a little cinnamon to the powdered sugar for an extra cozy touch.
INGREDIENTS
173 g / ¾ cup apple cider
115 g / ½ cup water
600 g / 5 cups all purpose flour
99 g / ½ cup light brown sugar
7 g / 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
4 g / 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 g / 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
< 1 g / ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
56 g / 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
56 g / 1 large egg
neutral oil, as needed for frying (such as canola, safflower, or vegetable)
powdered sugar or cinnamon powdered sugar, as needed for finishing
More Fall Baking This Way:
METHOD
1. In a small pot, heat the cider and water until it reads about 110°F / 43°C.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to combine. Add the warm cider/water mixture, the butter, and the egg and mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl well, and raise the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, 3 minutes more.
3. Transfer to a lightly greased medium bowl, and let rise until nearly double in size, about 1 hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle about ½ inch / 1 cm thick, and about 10 x 12 inch / 25 x 30 cm wide. Cut the dough into strips 2 inch / 5 cm wide, and then into squares 2 inch / 5 cm wide.
5. Attach a deep fry/candy thermometer to the pot and heat it until it reads around 350°F / 175°C - or you can carefully check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a small amount of dough to test the oil’s temperature - it should immediately sizzle and rise to the surface, then slowly begin to brown. (If it browns immediately, let the oil cool off before starting. If the batter doesn’t sizzle, keep heating and re-test with a new piece of batter.)
6. When the oil is hot, work in batches to drop the beignets into the pot. Drop tablespoons of dough into the hot oil (I use a small (#60) cookie scoop, but you can just use two spoons to drop the batter in). Fry the beignets, turning once or twice, until they begin to become golden brown on all sides, 2-3 minutes.
7. Use a slotted spoon or spider to lift the beignets out of the oil, tap a few times to drain well, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain.
8. While they are still warm, sift powdered sugar generously over the beignets. Serve immediately, preferably warm.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
