Beignets with Crème Anglaise and Plum Compote
Also called choux beignets, pets de nonne, beignets soufflés
Deep-fried choux pastry puffs rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with vanilla crème anglaise and plum compote.
- Makes
- about 30 small beignets, 6 servings
Based on a dessert at Le Bec-Fin, Philadelphia
Ingredients
Amounts are for the recipe. Sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.
Crème anglaise
Choux paste
Cinnamon sugar
To fry and serve
Amounts worked out from the other system are rounded.
Method
Crème anglaise
Put the whole milk (250 ml1 cup), the cream (250 ml1 cup) and the vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan. Bring just to a simmer, take off the heat, cover and steep 15 minutes.
Whisk the egg yolks (5) with the sugar (65 g⅓ cup) and a pinch of salt until pale. Rewarm the milk and pour it slowly into the yolks, whisking. Return it all to the pan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clean line, 80 to 82°C (176 to 180°F). Don't let it boil.
Strain into a bowl set over ice and stir until cool. Chill.
Choux paste
Combine the water (120 ml½ cup), whole milk (120 ml½ cup), butter (85 g6 tbsp), sugar (13 g1 tbsp) and fine salt (3 g½ tsp) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, with the butter fully melted.
Take the pan off the heat and add the flour (140 g1 cup + 2 tbsp) all at once. Stir hard until it forms a smooth ball, then return it to medium heat and stir 2 minutes, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer to a stand mixer with the paddle and beat 1 to 2 minutes to cool it. It should be warm, not hot. Add the beaten eggs (4) a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until the paste is smooth and glossy and falls from the paddle in a thick V. You may not need all the egg.
Fry
Mix the sugar (100 g½ cup) and cinnamon (2 tsp) in a wide bowl.
Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C).
Drop in rounded teaspoons of the paste, pushing each off with a second spoon, a few at a time so they have room. Fry 6 to 8 minutes, turning them as they brown. They puff, crack open and roll over on their own; keep going until they are deep golden all over and cooked through. Hold the oil between 340 and 350°F.
Drain briefly on paper towels, then roll in the cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Serve
Pool crème anglaise in shallow bowls, add a few spoonfuls of Vanilla-Poached Plum Compote, and pile the warm beignets on top. Serve at once.
Notes
- Size. Keep them small, about the size of a walnut. Larger ones brown before the centers cook. Break the first one open to check: it should be hollow and moist inside, not wet.
- Oil. Too hot and they brown before they puff. Too cool and they soak up oil.
- Vanilla. A bean is best in the crème anglaise. Otherwise stir in 1½ tsp vanilla extract once it is cooked.
- Ahead. The crème anglaise keeps 3 days in the fridge, and the compote several days. The choux paste can wait, covered, for a couple of hours at room temperature. Fry at the last minute.