Practice Makes Perfect

I made these delicious beignets on Sunday and now that they are gone, I'm looking at the pictures and wish I had more. I was practicing for the Princess and the Frog (New Orleans style) party for next April. I actually found the recipe from "Tiana's Cookbook" by literally Googling "man catching beignets". You can never have too much practice and too many of these goodies (though doctors may disagree)!

In the Princess and the Frog, Tiana's Famous Beignets are the bee's knees and the talk of town. With a little help from Tiana's Cookbook, you can make your own with a recipe so easy that even frogs could do it!

Makes 14 to 16
(Pages 6-7 in The Princess and the Frog: Tiana’s Cookbook)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk everything together.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture from Step 1.
3. Use some of the remaining flour to dust your work surface. Place the dough on it and pat it into a large 1/2-inch-thick square. Dust the top with more flour if it gets sticky. Next, slice the dough into 2 1/2-inch squares.
4. Now it’s time to fry the beignets—be sure to ask an adult to help you! Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan on the stovetop until the temperature reaches 325° on a deep-fat thermometer. Check the temperature every so often while cooking. If it gets too hot, temporarily turn the heat down, or off.
5. Carefully drop 3 dough squares at a time into the hot oil. Fry them for 3 minutes, turn them over, and continue frying for 3 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beignets to a wire rack set atop paper towels to drain. Dust the beignets with confectioners’ sugar, and enjoy!

Now I can't wait for the party- well actually Mardi Gras, since it will come first.