Coffee Beignets

Coffee Beignets

Recipe from foodandwine.com/recipes/new-orleans-style-chicory-beignets

2 cups ground coffee-and-chicory blend

about 3 cups milk

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

4½ cups bread flour, plus more for rolling

2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 teaspoons kosher salt

vegetable oil, for frying

confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

paper bags for dusting

In a large jar, shake the coffee with 2 cups of the milk. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Strain the milk through a fine sieve into a measuring cup and add as much fresh milk as needed to make 1½ cups. Discard the coffee grounds.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine ¼ cup of the coffee milk with the yeast and granulated sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining coffee milk, the 4½ cups of bread flour and the butter and salt. Mix at low speed until the dough just comes together, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place until slightly risen, 2 hours. Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

On a floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough a scant 1/3-inch thick. Cut into 2-inch squares, then cut each square into two triangles. Transfer to a floured baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let stand for 20 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350˚F. Working in batches, fry several beignets at a time until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl. Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar.