Beignets Sweet Moroccan Doughnut Recipes

SFENJ: MOROCCAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water and set aside to proof for 10 or 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt and the remaining 1 cup warm water. Add the yeast mixture and stir vigorously with your hand or a heavy wooden spoon until smooth. The dough should be too sticky to knead or shape, almost like a thick batter.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rise for 3 to 4 hours, until double or triple in bulk.
• In a wide, deep pot, heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat until hot.
• Set out a bowl of water. Dip your hands in the water, then pull off a piece of dough about the size of a small plum. Use your fingers to make a hole in the ball of dough, stretch the hole wide to make a ring, and place the dough in the hot oil.
• Repeat with additional portions of dough until you've added as many sfenj as will fit comfortably in your pot; do not overcrowd. Wet your hands as necessary to keep the dough from sticking as you work with it.
• Fry the sfenj until golden brown, turning once or twice. Remove the cooked sfenj to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Repeat shaping and frying until you've used up all the dough.
• If desired, finish the hot sfenj by dipping in granulated sugar or by dusting with powdered sugar.
• Serve the sfenj hot or warm; they lose their texture and appeal when cold.
• Enjoy.

SFENJ - DEEP FRIED MOROCCAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Make yeast starter by dissolving 2 TBS. sugar and 1/2 teaspoons salt in 4 TBS. warm water in a small bowl. Stir in 1 TBS. dried active yeast. Let proof 15 minutes.
• Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle with your hands. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and begin to mix with your hand. Add a little warm water from time to time as mix, until it is the consistency of a stiff dough.
• Knead dough for 10-15 minutes by machine OR by hand:pulling the dough away from the bowl, slapping it down and kneading it into the bowl again with the heel of your hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Little by little, add remainder of water, sprinkling 2 TBS. at a time into the bowl. Knead the dough in the bowl until water is dissolved, continuing until the dough is spongy, very elastic and very sticky.
• Oil a mixing bowl lightly. Oil your hands and push dough down into the center of the original bowl with oiled hands until you can easily pick it up and transfer to the oiled bowl. Wipe any dough that might stick to your hands, dip fingers in oil again, and turn dough over in bowl. Then cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rise 1 -1 1/2 hours.
• When dough is risen, punch it down in bowl with your fist. Heat frying oil in a pan or deep fryer.
• When oil is hot, oil the fingers of both hands. Take a piece of dough approximately the size of a small egg and make a hole in the center using your fingers and twirl the dough to enlarge hole to size of a golf ball. Plunge ring of dough into hot oil. The dough will puff up.
• Turn the rings once or twice until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain dry on kitchen paper.
• Serve hot. May dip in sugar or honey or jam if desired.

MOROCCAN "SFENJ" DONUTS - ALTERNATE RECIPE (SFINGE, DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Make yeast starter by dissolving 2 tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in 4 tbsp. warm water in a small bowl. Stir in 1 Tbsp. dried active yeast. Let proof 15 minutes.
• Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle with your hands. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and begin to mix with your hand. Add a little warm water from time to time as mix, until it is the consistency of a stiff dough.
• Knead dough for 10-15 minutes by machine or by hand, pulling the dough away from the bowl, slapping it down and kneading it into the bowl again with the heel of your hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Little by little, add remainder of water, sprinkling 2 tbsp. at a time into the bowl. Knead the dough in the bowl until water is dissolved, continuing until the dough is spongy, very elastic and very sticky.
• Oil a mixing bowl lightly. Oil your hands and push dough down into the center of the original bowl with oiled hands until you can easily pick it up and transfer to the oiled bowl. Wipe any dough that might stick to your hands, dip fingers in oil again, and turn dough over in bowl. Then cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rise 1 -1 1/2 hours.
• When dough is risen, punch it down in bowl with your fist. Heat frying oil in a pan or deep fryer.
• When oil is hot, oil the fingers of both hands. Take a piece of dough approximately the size of a small egg and make a hole in the center using your fingers and twirl the dough to enlarge hole to size of a golf ball. Plunge ring of dough into hot oil. The dough will puff up.
• Turn the rings once or twice until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain dry on kitchen paper.
• Serve hot. May dip in sugar or honey if desired. Great with hot mint tea.

BEIGNET DOUGHNUT

Steps:

• Mound the flour in a large mixing bowl. Combine the salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar and place them at 1 edge of the bowl. Put the yeast on the other side. (Do not mix the yeast and the salt yet; the salt will soak up the moisture in the yeast, killing it.) Stir first the eggs, and then the beer into the flour. Mix in 3 1/2 tablespoons water, incorporating the sugar, salt and yeast as you go and working until the batter is smooth. Cover the batter with plastic and set it aside in the refrigerator to relax for at least 1 hour.
• Whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold the whipped whites into the batter (this makes for lighter beignet).
• Heat about 2-inches of oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• Slice the apple into 8 (1/2-inch) thick slices. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar with the cinnamon. Dust the apple slices with cinnamon-sugar. Working in batches of 2 or 3, dip slices of apple into the batter then carefully drop the beignet into the hot oil. Fry the beignet until crisp and uniformly golden brown, about 4 minutes per side then drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Allow the beignet to cool for a few minutes then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

BEIGNETS - SWEET MOROCCAN DOUGHNUT

Steps:

• Make the Dough.
• Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and add the warm milk. Leave a minute or two for the yeast to soften, and then add the butter, egg, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix well to form a soft, sticky dough that is barely firm enough to knead. If necessary, work in a little more flour or milk to achieve this.
• Knead the dough in a mixer with a dough hook, or by hand on a lightly floured surface, for five to 10 minutes or until the dough is very smooth. The dough should still be a bit sticky, but it will become easier to handle after it rises.
• Allow the Dough to Rise Twice.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a towel, and leave to rise until doubled, an hour or longer.
• Punch down the dough and turn it over. Cover, and leave to rise a second time. When the dough is almost doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour, it is ready to shape.
• Cut Out Circles.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out rounds (a glass is fine to use), and transfer the rounds to a lightly floured towel. Cover, and let rise until puffy, 30 minutes or longer.
• Fry the Beignets.
• Heat two or three inches of oil in a pot over medium heat to 360° to 370° F (183° to 187° C). If you don't have a thermometer, test a scrap of dough - if it rises to the top without coloring and the oil bubbles around it, the oil is ready.
• Fry the beignets in batches for two to three minutes each, turning several times, until the dough is golden in color. Don't crowd the pot, and monitor the temperature of the oil carefully. If it is too hot, the beignets will brown too quickly and the insides will be undercooked. If the oil is too cold, the beignets will become heavy and greasy.
• Allow the cooked beignets to drain on paper towels or in a strainer for several minutes before rolling in granulated sugar or dusting with powdered sugar.
• Serving and Freezing.
• Serve beignets warm or room temperature. Apricot jam makes a nice accompaniment.
• Beignets won't stay fresh for more than a day, but they freeze well and can be reheated directly from the freezer. To reheat, lay the frozen beignets on a baking sheet, and place in a preheated 350° F (175° C) oven for 10 minutes.

COSTAS FRENCH MARKET DOUGHNUTS (BEIGNETS)

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup room temperature water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand for about 5 minutes to dissolve.
• Combine the shortening, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the shortening mixture and then stir in the evaporated milk. Wait for the mixture to cool down until it is lukewarm. Then, add the yeast and water mixture and beaten eggs.
• Slowly mix in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Working with a small portion (a little larger than a baseball) at a time, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut the rolled out dough into strips 2 to 3-inches wide, then cut again in the opposite direction and at an angle, making diamond shapes.
• Heat your oil for frying in a deep and wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat to 360 degree F (180 degrees C).
• Slide dough slowly into the oil to avoid splattering and deep fry until they puff up and are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove onto a rack with paper towels underneath and allow to cool until you can handle them. Place in a clean paper bag with confectioners' sugar and shake gently until covered generously or, use a sifter to dust the beignets with powdered sugar.

NEW ORLEANS BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, oil, sugar, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Punch down dough. Turn onto a floured surface; roll into a 16x12-in. rectangle. Cut into 2-in. squares. , In a deep cast-iron or electric skillet, heat 1 inch oil to 375°. Fry squares, in batches, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm beignets in confectioners' sugar.

BEIGNETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, eggs, evaporated milk, and blend well. Mix in 4 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the shortening, and then the remaining 3 cups of flour. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
• Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Fry in 360 degree F (180 degrees C) hot oil. If beignets do not pop up, oil is not hot enough. Drain onto paper towels.
• Shake confectioners' sugar on hot beignets. Serve warm.