Saffron-Salted Caramel Beignets
Recipe by Adapted from Bon Appetit by Ashlee Redger
All-Purpose Cooking
Out-of-this-world soft beignets, filled with a salty, creamy, smooth caramel saffron cream and covered with a light coating of powdered sugar. These will disappear before you can blink!
Serves
3 dozen
Prep Time
1 hour
Cooking Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
For saffron caramel pastry cream: 2 cups half and half 25 caramel candy squares
Saffron Salt
1 Tbsp. Saffron Salt*
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
4 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. Natural Vanilla Extract
For beignets:
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (1 1/4 oz.) envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup buttermilk, warmed
1/4 cup half and half, warmed
1 egg
Saffron Salt
1 Tsp. Saffron Salt*
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 3/4 cup bread flour, divided, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into pieces and softened
Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Natural Vanilla Flavor
Natural Vanilla Flavor
Directions
Step 1
For saffron caramel pastry cream:
Step 2
In a medium pot, combine half and half, caramel squares, and Saffron Salt. Bring to a low simmer and stir often until caramels are completely melted and dissolved. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar, corn starch, and egg yolks in a medium bowl. When caramel cream is smooth, slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the combined mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick (about the consistency of pudding). Stir in Natural Vanilla Extract. Pass cream through a fine sieve into a bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the top of the pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.
Step 3
For beignets:
Step 4
Stir together warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 min., or until foamy. Add buttermilk, half and half, egg, Saffron Salt, and baking soda. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms, then add in butter pieces. Continue adding flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until butter is incorporated and the dough is no longer sticky. Transfer onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and soft, about 5 to 6 min. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and let proof for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Turn proofed dough back out onto a floured surface and roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares and lay onto a floured baking sheet to proof again for 25 to 30 min., or until beignets have puffed up slightly. Pour about 3 inches of oil into a large pot and heat to 375 degrees. Gently lower a few beignets at a time into the oil and fry for 2 min. per side, or until golden brown. Place fresh beignets on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Step 5
To fill:
Step 6
Spoon pastry cream into a squeeze bottle or a bag with a round piping tip. Use a chopstick or thick skewer to poke a hole in the side of each beignet. Wiggle the chopstick a little to create more room on the inside of the beignet, but don’t pierce through any other sides. Place tip of squeeze bottle/piping tip into the beignet and slowly squeeze to fill each one with about 1 Tbsp. of cream. Dust filled beignets generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit's Best Beignets.
*Saffron Salt is a limited-time offer during February. Missed out? Look out for it next year in-store and online!
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