Big Easy Pumpkin Beignets Food

BIG EASY PUMPKIN BEIGNETS

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the hot water with the kosher salt. Combine the dissolved yeast with 1 cup of the flour and mix until smooth. Form the yeast/flour mixture into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Use a fork to beat the eggs until frothy. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and the cooking oil, mixing well with a wooden spoon or whisk. Once the yeast/flour mixture has doubled in size, combine it with the egg/flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree and kefir and mix until completely smooth.
• Let stand for 1 hour. The dough should be elastic and spring back when stretched. Pour 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil into a deep, straight-sided frying pan and heat the oil to 360°F. (You can test the temperature by dropping in a small amount of the batter. If it immediately starts to bubble and float, the temperature is correct.) Using a soup spoon or a large tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Use the spoon to baste the cooking dough with a bit of oil as they fry. Drain the beignets on paper towels, then use a small sieve to dust them with powdered sugar.

PUMPKIN BEIGNETS

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side.
• Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
• Maple glaze: Combine butter and maple syrup in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter melts. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle warm beignets with maple glaze and serve immediately.

PUMPKIN BEIGNETS

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of very hot water with the salt. Combine the dissolved yeast with 1 cup of the flour and mix until smooth. Form the yeast-flour mixture into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with a dishcloth and set in a warm place for 1 hour, until the yeast-flour mixture has doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the remaining flour and the oil and mix well with a wooden spoon. Let stand while the yeast-flour mixture rises.
• When the yeast-flour mixture has doubled in size, combine it with the egg-flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree and the brandy. Beat with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth. Let stand for 1 hour. The dough should be elastic.
• In a frying pan, pour in enough vegetable oil to reach a depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Heat the oil to 360 degrees. Using a soupspoon or a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Drain the beignets on paper towels. Roll them in the confectioners' sugar.