Beignets - French Market Doughnuts  
Air Fryer version included! 
I have such fond memories of these.  Going down to the Café du Monde in the French Market of New Orleans with my parents and when I was in college for a face-spattering delicious mouthful of hot fried batter and confectioner’s sugar!  When I acquired a taste for coffe, I loved to thave a cup chicory coffee with them; I can taste it now.   
Beignets (French Market Doughnuts) - Inspired by Mrs. W.E. Robinson Jr.’s recipe from River Road Cookbook, 1959
Ingredients - Makes 3 dozen
1 cup milk
1/4  cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp warm, not hot, water
​A little history of the French Market, the Café de Monde, and beignets...
     Today, America’s oldest public market, the New Orleans French Market (Marché français), near the Mississippi River, is six-block section of buildings in the French Quarter area (Vieux Carre). 
Centuries ago, in 1675, the area was named Bulbancha (place of many tongues), and was a trading spot for the Choctaw and other Native American tribes.  In 1718, Frenchman, Jean Baptiste LeMoyne Bienville, established the city of New Orleans here. Settlers from Europe came by boat to this location to sell produce, milk, and cheese.
     Between 1782 and 1791, Spanish government officials established the first official city markets here.  The first market hall was a butchers’ market, near the site of present-day Café du Monde. 
      The French Market has been rebuilt many times after hurricanes, but beignets survived!  The Café du Monde dates back to 1862 and serves beignets, a square fried doughnut smothered with confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, brought to Louisiana by the Acadians.  Café du Monde is open 24/7and hosts late night visitors to the French Quarter and early morning visitors to the French Market.
You'll need:   a candy thermometer, a brown paper grocery bag, tongs or a slotted cooking spoon, a rolling pin


​2 Tbsp oil 
1 egg, slightly beaten with a fork
3 & 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
 1 & 1/2  quarts of vegetable oil for deep frying
Steps
  1. In a pan over medium heat, scald the milk.  Scalding means to heat the milk until just before it boils, then remove from heat.  Stir in the granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg until sugar dissolves.  Cool to lukewarm. 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle or crumble yeast into 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water, stirring until dissolved.  Let sit for about 7 minutes or until bubbly. 
  3. Take the lukewarm scalded milk mixture and add 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 slightly beaten egg, and dissolved yeast.  Stir well with  a spoon. 
  4. Add flour to the yeast mixture gradually, beating well after each addition.  Cover the bowl with waxed paper, then a dishtowel, and let rise in a warm place until double in size - about 1 &1/2 hours,  
  5.  Place the soft dough on a well-floured surface and gently knead. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a 18” x 12” rectangle.  Cut it into thirty-six 3” x 2” rectangles, leaving all on the floured surface. Again, cover with waxed paper and a dish towel.  Let it rest for 30 minutes.
  6.  Preparation:  Put confectioner’s sugar in a brown paper grocery bag.  If you don’t have a bag, put the sugar in a large bowl instead.  Don’t put it in a plastic bag - the hot oil on the beignets can melt it!!! 
  7. Fill a large Dutch oven or pot with 3 - 4 inches of oil and heat over medium-high until oil reaches 365ºF (185ºC) on candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer.
  8. Fry a few doughnuts at a time, using tongs to make sure they fry on both sides until golden brown. This only takes about a minute - so be very careful not to overcook.  Don’t leave the stove!
  9. Take them out of the pot and place them into a brown paper bag. with the powdered sugar and shake, shake, shake until thoroughly coated.   If you’re using a bowl, then toss the doughnuts around until they’re coated.  Add more powdered sugar as needed to your bag or bowl.
  10. Serve piping hot with coffee.  They’re just not the same when old and cold.  Who is?
  1. Follow directions #1 - 6 above.   Additional ingredient:  2 Tbsp melted butter
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
  3. You'll need to cook them a few at a time.  Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.  Put about 4 beignets in the basket, Make sure to leave a bit of space between them.  Brush with  them with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
  4. Cook in Air fryer for 6 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.  Check halfway through at 3 minutes.  Brush on more butter if they aren't browning. 
  5.  Take them out of the air fryer and place them into a brown paper bag. with the powdered sugar and shake, shake, shake until thoroughly coated.   If you’re using a bowl, then toss the doughnuts around until they’re coated.  Add more powdered sugar as needed to your bag or bowl. 
  6.  Serve piping hot with coffee.  They’re just not the same when old and cold.  Who is?