Featured Recipe
Twisted Nut-Free Beignets
By Kate
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Deep-fried twisted dough strips coated in sugar. Leavened with instant yeast, enriched with eggs and cream. Use canola oil for frying. Includes small changes to hydration levels and ingredient proportions. Substitutes cream with coconut milk and replaces canola oil with grapeseed oil. Dough rests in warm spot, twisted before frying. Finished beignets dusted with sugar, served warm with berry jam. Preparation and cooking times adjusted slightly. Yields about 25 pieces.
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Prep:
38 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
Serves:
25 servings
dessert
fried pastry
nut-free
coconut
Introduction
Start with warm water and yeast. Wait till bubbly. Flour piles in with sugar. Eggs crack open, coconut milk slips in instead of cream. Salt balances flavors. Mix them, gather dough. Knead. Rest it two hours warm, moist corner. Roll out flat. Cut uniformly. Longer, thinner strips than usual. Let strips rest. Twist, knot. Deep fry until golden brown. Handle oil with care or burn. Drain quick. Coat in fine sugar crystals. Not just plain sweet. Pair with fresh berry jam − no heat needed. Serve fast while warm, nostalgia in each bite.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Adjusted flour and sugar quantities lower by roughly 30%. Coconut milk replaces cream for subtle tropical flavor and lighter fat but still rich. Used grapeseed oil for frying instead of canola for slightly higher smoke point and mild taste. Water reduced slightly to compensate altered hydration from coconut milk. Five eggs instead of six keeps texture tender yet manageable. Sugar scaled down a bit to limit sweetness on final dusting. Quantities suit 25 medium twists. Flour must be unbleached for best dough structure. No nuts included for allergy-friendly variation.
Method
Technique Tips
Mix water and yeast first for activation. Dough is thicker than pancake batter but sticky. Kneading critical for gluten development—7 minutes recommended due to coconut milk’s fat variation. Rest in covered, warm spot crucial for yeast to work and dough to rise nicely—2 hours held constant. Roll to rectangle slightly smaller but similar thickness; dough relaxes during extra 5 minutes, helping cutting and shaping. Twisting each strip into simple knot takes practice; keep strips lightly floured. Deep fry at slightly lower temperature than original to prevent burning given different oil used. Cook time 5-7 minutes per batch, turn midway to ensure even color. Drain immediately. Toss in sugar quickly to adhere while warm. Serve soon for optimum texture and flavor.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Mix yeast with warm water. Wait for bubbles to form. Vital. Check that yeast is active. Sticky dough thicker than pancake mix. Monitor temperature and humidity. Adjust flour slightly based on conditions.
- 💡 Knead for 7 minutes minimum. Vital for gluten. Dough must be smooth. Rest the dough covered. Keep in warm, moist area for 2 hours. Yeast will work hard. Gluten needs to relax too.
- 💡 Cut strips evenly. Aim for 1.5 cm width. Twisting takes time. Simple knot method needed. Keep each strip floured lightly. Less sticking works wonders. Adjust timing if batches burn.
- 💡 Frying temperature crucial. Aim for 178°C or similar. Do not fry too long. Golden brown indicates readiness. Batches are key. Drain quickly to prevent sogginess. Toss immediately in sugar.
- 💡 Serve fresh for optimum taste. Berry jam on the side adds goodness. Fresh strawberry or raspberry works best. Sweet but not overwhelming. Pairing enhances flavors significantly.
Kitchen Wisdom
How to tell if dough has risen enough?
Look for double size. Springy to touch. Should bounce back. If not, check warmth.
Can I use different oils?
Yes, olive or vegetable acceptable. Different flavors. Grapeseed preferred for smoke point though.
What if beignets are greasy?
Drain immediately after frying. Too hot oil? Adjust temp. Less time frying next batch.
How to store leftovers?
Best eaten fresh. However, cool and store in airtight. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently to avoid sogginess.
