New Year's Beignet Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  
• 1 1/4 cups warm milk 110 degrees
  
• 1 large egg beaten
  
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• Pinch salt
  
• Oil for frying
  
• Powdered sugar for dusting
  

Instructions

• In the bowl of an stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, add yeast, sugar, shortening, and milk and mix together for 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix then add 4 cups of the flour and salt.
  
  Continue mixing on low speed until all of the flour is incorporated. This takes about 1 minute. Mix at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the mixing bowl, and climbs up the dough hook.
  
• Remove the dough from the bowl. Form the dough into a smooth ball with your hands then lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl and push it along the sides to make sure it is slightly oiled all the way around. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size. This takes about 2 hours.
  
• Preheat the vegetable oil a deep fat fryer to 360 degrees F.
  
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Lightly dust the surface of the dough. Roll out the rectangle to 12 1/2 inches long by 10 inches wide and about 1/4-inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into twenty 2 1/2-inch square beignets.
  
• Fry beignets, just a couple at a time until golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towels. Sprinkle the beignets with powdered sugar and serve.