French Quarter Beignets

The original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was opened in the French Market of New Orleans in 1862 and it has been open every day 24 hours a day ever since. The Cafe is closed only on Christmas Day or when a Hurricane gets to close to New Orleans.

The covered patio is where people love to set at Cafe Du Monde so they can people watch and enjoy the atmosphere of the French Quarter. The Mississippi River is only a few feet away and the atmosphere of the French Quarter is almost magical. You can set and imagine all the famous and infamous people who have walked in your footsteps. And in case you can't get to the French Quarter for Beignets below is the recipe so you can make your own.

French Quarter Beignets Recipe

Is there anything quite like a fresh out of the deep fryer beignet with a cup of thick chicory coffee. No matter who you make these Beignets for they are going to love them.

You Will Need For Your Recipe

1. 1/2 Cup Of Granulated Sugar

2. 1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast

3. 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

4. 2 Large Well Beaten Eggs

5. 1 Cup Of Evaporated Milk

6. 7 Cups Of Bread Flour

7. 1/4 Cup Of Vegetable Shortening

8. 1 Quart Vegetable Oil For Frying

9. Confectioners Sugar For Dusting

You will want to follow the below steps to make your French Quarter Beignets.

1. In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and yeast to 1 1/2 Cups of Warm Water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes until the mixture is very foamy.

2. Whisk in the salt, eggs, and milk. Stir well. Add 3 cups of the flour and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the vegetable shortening and whisk until smooth. Begin adding the rest of the flour stirring well with a wooden spoon after each 1/2 cup addition.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, about a dozen times. Add a little more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.

4. Spray a large clean bowl with vegetable oil cooking spray and place the dough in to the bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. When ready to make the beignets divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece out on a slightly floured surface to a 15"by20" rectangle with a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a pizza cutter cut into 10 rectangles about 1 1/2 " wide and 2 " long.

6. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep fryer. The oil should be at least 3" deep. Put a small amount of confectioners sugar into a large paper bag.

7. Drop 4 rectangles at a time into the hot oil. Brown on both sides and remove from the deep fryer. Shake the hot beignets in the paper bag with the confectioners sugar to coat. You will want to add more oil to your deep fryer as needed and also from time to time you will need to add more confectioners sugar to your paper bag. Serve your beignets at once and I guarantee you that people will love them.

If you make the beignets or have a comment or question feel free to post it below. Let us hear what you think about this recipe or ask any questions you may have below.