How are you enjoying that Cafe’ au lait?  Perks ya right up, doesn’t it?  Well in my opinion, it was made to pair with this sweet treat.

 

I am not going to lie to you, a Beignet is fried sweet dough rolled in sugar.

And they are so good.

Served all over New Orleans any time of year, the one thing that makes them distinctly southern is the name (which is actually French).  But we have all had some variation of the Beignet, and many of us refer to it as “delightful”.

Enough chatter, let’s get down to business.

This recipe comes straight from the butter queen herself, Paula Deen.

French Quarter Beignets

Combine in a large bowl, and let sit for about 10 minutes:

1 1/2 Cups lukewarm water

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1 envelope active dry yeast.

In another bowl beat together:

2 eggs

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 Cup evaporated milk

Add the egg mixture to the yeast mixture and combine well.

Now add 3 cups of flour to the egg/yeast mixture, stir until combined.

Now mix  in 1/4 cup of shortening.

Now you are going to go to town stirring while adding the remaining flour (about 4 cups more).

Flour a solid work surface and your hands WELL.  Now knead until your dough in nice and smooth and no longer sticky.  Don’t over work it, though!  This is a great time to let your kiddo get involved, kneading the dough is fun for anyone!

Spray a large bowl with olive oil, place your nicely kneaded dough in the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap or a towel.

Once your dough has risen, liberally flour your hands, rolling-pin and work surface.  Transfer dough to work surface and get to work rolling it out.

Heat oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  If you do not have a thermometer, you can gauge the oils readiness by testing a piece of dough.  Once submerged, your dough should pop to the surface quite readily.

Fry Beignet  until golden on one side.  With a slotted spoon, gently (so as not to splash oil on yourself) turn them over.  Cook the opposite side until both sides are equally golden.  This happens rather quickly.  Stay close.

With a slotted spoon, transfer to your Beignet to a cooling rack to drain. Liberally cover with powdered sugar.

Pour yourself a cup of cafe’ au lait, turn on your favorite jazz tunes (Miles Davis, perhaps?), and sink your teeth into one of these little pillows of delight!  Having a hard time eating just one?  Pack up the rest and take ‘em to the nearest fire station.  Those folks will love you for ‘em.

If you should find yourself with any leftovers, we reheat our Beignets in the toaster oven.  Sprinkle a bit more powdered sugar on these babies, and you are golden!

I am sure enjoying myself this week.  Mardi Gras is just days away, and we have quite a bit to do to prepare for our guests.

See you real soon!

Jay

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funky junk interiors

“Do you know what it means, to miss New Orleans?”

Sadly, I do not.  I have never been.  Wilbur Road is just about as far from the Big Easy as one can get (while still residing in the continental US).

However, I have always been intrigued by the culture and lifestyle of New Orleans.  Fantastic food, THE BEST MUSIC in the world, eccentric characters and the biggest party in the US?  Not to mention the most resilient folks who reside anywhere?

My kinda town.

So let’s start this party with a little breakfast fare, shall we?

First up, Cafe’ au lait.

No honey, this is not a latte’.  There is absolutely no foamed milk involved.  Cafe’ au lait is simply scalded milk mixed with brewed coffee.  But in the south, in New Orleans, not just any brewed coffee is used.

Ya gotta have chicory in that coffee. 

I found roasted, ground chicory at my local food co-op, in the bulk section.

You can also order prepared coffee/chicory mix from Cafe du Monde and Community Coffee.

That’s what the locals do.

While your coffee and chicory blend is brewing scald your milk.

When the coffee is done, and your milk is properly scalded, mix them together.  Now you can adjust the ratio of milk to coffee as you wish, but I believe that it is common to drink cafe’ au lait in a 1:1 ratio.

Also, years ago a good friend of mine who was raised in New Orleans told me that when mixing the coffee and milk, you pour from two pitchers at the same time.  The streams of milk and coffee mix just prior to hitting the glass.  This takes a bit of practice, and since I do not have a camera man, you will have to trust me on this one.

It has been years since I tasted cafe’ au lait, prepared in this traditional way.  I usually take my coffee “black as midnight on a moonless night”.  My partner-in-crime drinks milk in his coffee.  He really liked this blend, and I found it a rather nice change as well.  The chicory provides a nice balance to the coffee.  It kinda takes the acid-y edge off.  Mellow.  Of course the milk does not hurt either.

Ya know what goes perfect with cafe’ au lait? 

Beignets

Fried, doughy, powdered sugary goodness.  Yeah, baby.

And they are next up in our celebration of Marti Gras!

So check back soon,

Jay