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1
In a bowl of a standing mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir to dissolve.
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2
Then add the sugar, eggs, and milk and blend with a paddle attachment.
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3
Add half the flour, salt, and shortening and blend well.
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4
Add the remaining flour and continue mixing to form a dough.
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5
Place the dough on a flour work surface and form into a ball.
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6
Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate overnight.
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7
The next day, punch down the dough on a work surface, then cover it with a damp towel, and let it rest for 15 minutes.
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8
Then roll the dough into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick.
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9
With a pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares.
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10
Heat some oil for deep fat frying to 365 degrees F. Drop in the beignets, 3 or 4 at a time, and fry on both sides until golden brown.
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11
They will look like pillows.
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12
Drain them on a brown paper bag and dust extremely heavily with powdered sugar.
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13
Notes about the recipe: These are sold everywhere in New Orleans, even at the airport with the powdered sugar in their white oil stained paper sack or the option of a bag of powdered sugar separate.
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14
Probably the most famous place for these is Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans.
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15
I went there this year and thought 2 would be enough, but they're so light I was still craving them after the third one.
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16
You eat them traditionally with steaming cups of cafe au lait and the coffee is brewed with chickory sometimes called Creole Coffee.
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17
Coffee is brewed with roasted chickory, the root of the leafy salad green, to extend and give body and aroma to the coffee.
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18
To make cafe au lait, warm milk in a saucepan and pour 1/3 milk and 2/3 coffee into your cup.
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19
Some places throw their beignet dough scraps into the mix for the next batch of dough, almost like a sour dough starter or levand.
