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1
Combine the yeast and the buttermilk and stir to combine. Set it aside.
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2
In a mixing bowl combine the flours salt, sugar and baking powder. Add the lard and the chilled butter cubes. Using the paddle attachment for you mixer, mix until it looks like coarse cornmeal.
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3
Add the butter milk and the raisins and mix until it just comes together around the paddle.
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4
Sprinkle you counter with a small amount of flour. Kneed the dough a couple of times right in the mixing bowl to bring it all together.
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5
Place the dough on the flour and sprinkle a little on top of the dough too. Pat the dough down and then roll it out to a 1/2 inch thickness.
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6
Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter cut out the beignets and place them on a sheet tray. Collect the dough scraps and roll them out again. Do this until you have used all the dough.
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7
Add the peanut oil to a cast iron skillet until it reaches a depth of 1/2 an inch. Heat the oil on the stove to 325 degrees. Don't let the oil get to hot or you will burn the outside before the insides are done.
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8
While the oil is heating make the icing. Combine the milk with the vanilla and add the powdered sugar. Mix until it is smooth and then add the butter and mix again. It should be thick but when you lift the whisk it should slowly drizzle off in a smooth stream. If you need to add 1/2 a teaspoon of milk at a time to thin or add 1/4 cup powdered sugar at a time to thicken.
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9
Gently drop one of the biscuits into the hot oil and once it has browned gently turn it and brown the other side. Remove it from the oil and let it drain on a paper tower of a cooling rack. Break it open to see if it is done.
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10
If it is done continue frying the beignets. Once all are fried drizzle the tops with icing and serve.
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11
Note: You may wonder why chipati flour. Well a couple of years ago I was going to make biscuits and I didn't have enough all purpose flour and the only other flour on hand was chapati flour. Adding the chapati flour made for a biscuit with wheat flavor but allowed the biscuit to remain amazingly tender and light. So, I have been adding chapati flour to my biscuits ever since.
