Feeling My Southern Roots

It was a Beignet & Cafe au Lait kinda night with friends. A simple recipe this time. Have a sweet friend pick up the mix and coffee in New Orleans for you (or order it online) and then follow the instructions and enjoy. I was born in Louisiana. This is my favorite food from that state!

Beignets - French Donuts

Ingredients
One box Cafe Du Monde Beignet mix
1 - 3 lb. Crisco can solid shortening or similar
10-X / Powdered Sugar in shaker jar or use sifter when ready
Shallow fry pan or electric fry pan
Slotted metal spoon or tongs
Paper toweling
Rolling pin
Wooden cutting board
Flour
1 can Cafe Du Monde coffee

Directions for Beignets

1. Measure 1 1b. of solid shortening into fry pan on Medium High heat.
2. With wooden spoon, mix 2 cups of Beignet mix with 7 oz. water. (Directions on package).
3. Add a bit more mix if necessary so it is not sticky and you can gather it up into a ball.
4. Roll dough out to 1/8" thickness on cutting board dusted liberally with flour, dough will puff up a bit.
5. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into approximately 2 dozen 2 1/4" squares or thereabouts.
6. Test oil by dropping a bit of batter into it to see if it bubbles up and rises to the top. If so, oil is ready and let it heat a bit more. Watch it does not get too hot and start smoking!
7. Place paper toweling on 5-6 serving plates.
8. Gently place 6 beignets at a time in hot oil. Do not crowd fry pan or they will not fry quickly enough an they will get soggy. They should sizzle and float. Fry approximately 1-2 min. then flip to other side with tongs or slotted spoon and fry for another 1-2 min. They should be lightly golden brown and puffed up.
9. Transfer to plate lined with paper toweling. Dust with powdered sugar and serve while warm.
10. Repeat for remainder of batter.

*Dispose of oil properly. Do not reuse. If you want to make more, use fresh shortening.


Directions for Cafe Au Lait

1. Brew Cafe Du Monde coffee using 1 tablespoon of grounds per cup of coffee.
2. Heat homogenized whole milk to very hot but not scalded.
3. Fill 1/2 of coffee cup with hot milk, add hot coffee to fill it up.
4. Sweeten it if you will, but usually with the beignets being so sweet, the non-sweetened coffee balances it all out. In New Orleans they will give you a bowl of 10-X sugar with your beignet order and I see folk after dipping their beignets in the sugar dump the rest of the sugar in their coffee.