New Orleans in the Triangle - semi-homemade Beignets

One of my favorite spots in New Orleans is Cafe du Monde. While anyone that loves coffee will enjoy New Orleans, what sets Cafe du Monde apart from the rest of the outdoor cafes in New Orleans are their phenomenal beignets.

Thanks to the name recognition of the Cafe du Monde brand, the beignet mix is available in local grocery stores, such as Kroger, and allows everyone to experience the beignets right at home. This weekend, I felt like enjoying some beignets and coffee rather than cake or other pastries. Beignets are light, not as greasy as donuts. With their light sprinkle of powdered sugar, a couple of beignets together with a nice cup of coffee and cream is the perfect way to relax while reading the newspaper or doing the crossword puzzle.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - a couple of beignets, just screaming for some cafe au lait!

Here is the website of the Original Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter of new Orleans. Here you can order your beignet mix, if you do not find it in the local grocery stores. While even the best homemade beignets can not bring New Orleans to your home, they still go very well with a nice cup of coffee and a light, tasty snack! By the way, for those readers familiar with the Cafe Du Monde Beignets, yes mine are round not square, but I did not have a square form to cut the dough with.

So if you are looking for a quick snack, grab some of the Beignet mix from your grocery store. The preparation is very easy. Add some water to the mix, roll the dough out thinly on a flowered surface and cut out beignet size pieces (either square or round). Then drop the dough into an inch of hot oil and the beignets should become puffy and pop up from the oil in about 8 to 10 seconds. Turn them around to ensure that the beignets are golden brown on both sides. Take them out of oil onto a wire rack for cooling and sprinkle the beignets with some powdered sugar right before serving with a good cup of coffee. Enjoy!