Beignets with Lemon Cream

What is better than a doughnut?  I can’t think of much.  George Clooney feeding me a doughnut, maybe.  Other than that, not much compares to the nostalgic feeling that you get when you bite into a doughnut.

I grew up going to the same doughnut shop every single Saturday morning with my family.  It was tradition.  When we moved out of the area, my weekly trip to get doughnuts was one thing that I missed the most.  As I grew up and started cooking more and more, I began experimenting with making doughnuts at home.  This task seemed impossible to me at first.  I was trying to copy that doughnut that I grew up on, but to be completely honest, that is impossible.  But trust me, these beignets are every bit as good as the doughnuts that I was raised on.  If you love doughnuts as much as I do, you will feel a rush of nostalgia as you bite into these sweet pillows of dough.

I pair these sweet beignets with a tart lemon cream for dipping.  The lemon cream almost acts as a filling.  Eating these doughnuts is like eating a grown-up version of those jelly-filled doughnuts that we all love.  Each time that I attempt a new doughnut recipe, I am always surprised by how great homemade doughnuts can be.  I’m not saying that these are easy.  These are not for beginners.  But they are not as difficult to make as you think they will be.  And they are a confidence booster for sure!  Your friends and family will be amazed when you present them with a pile of warm, homemade doughnuts either for breakfast or dessert.  These beignets really are a fantastic update on one of the best foods from my childhood.

Beignets with Lemon Cream

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Yield	6 to 8
Meal type	Breakfast, Dessert
By author	Alex Guarnaschelli

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup lemon curd

Directions

Beignets
1.	Whisk together the yeast and water in a small bowl. Let rest for about 8 minutes, until foamy. Stir in the all-purpose flour until combined. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel and let rest for about 20 minutes, until doubled in volume.
2.	Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the salt, vanilla, and bread flour and blend until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment of your mixer and continue to mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes, until the dough starts to clump together. Add the yeast mixture and mix for another 3 minutes, until the dough comes together to form a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 hour, until the dough springs back when pressed with your finger.
3.	Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and roll out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch square cookie cutter, cut out squares of dough and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Re-roll the dough and cut out more squares until you have used up all of the dough. Cover and let rest for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffed.
4.	Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large saucepan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers between 350 and 375°F. Working in batches, carefully add the beignets to the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain the beignets on paper towels and, while they are still warm, dust with powdered sugar.
Lemon Cream
5.	To make the lemon cream, place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the lemon curd, mixing until just combined. Serve the warm beignets with the lemon cream for dipping.

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Tagged as: beignets, lemon cream, lemon curd, lemons