Beignets

[Soup]

Been invited to a Mardi Gras get together. I'd like to make Beignets. However, I cannot make them the day of the festivities. Best I can do is to make them the day before the event. Is there a way to fry them the day before and bring them back to as good or almost as good the next day (without refrying). Perhaps using the oven or something.

Looking for a strategy. Would appreciate any assistance.

Soup

[Mjx]

If we're talking about the same thing (and since you mention frying, I'm sort of wondering), you can make the shells, pastry cream, and glaze ahead of time, and assemble them at the last minute, which really simplifies transport.

[heidih]

My opinion is that trying to hold them is a waste of your original effort of frying them. As a donut relative they really are best fresh out of the fryer. I am interested to see if someone has a method that will not result in loss of crispy outside & pillowy inside and avoid the dreaded grease bomb symptom.

[tpogue@comcast.net]

You can make the dough ahead of time but I don't think you'd be happy with the results of frying ahead of time. The dough will keep for several days in the fridge.

terry

[andiesenji]

In a word, NO!

They should be light, crispy on the outside and very tender.

If you have a warm, dry place to hold them, they will be okay for 4-6 hours but no longer.

They get leathery, especially in high humidity.

As note above, the batter will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Edited February 17, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[HungryC]

Reheated beignets are pretty bad. They tend to get heavier & greasier w/time. If you want to attempt a test batch of reheated beignets, you could try reheating the fried (but certainly not sugar coated) dough in a toaster oven or on a pizza stone.

I'd ditch the beignets in favor of some easier-to-prepare-in-advance NOLA food...maybe a pot of red beans, or a king cake. Here's a good scratch king cake recipe from John Besh. Or a nice pot of jambalaya...

[Mjx]

Just looked up what beignet are in the US, and I can see how the advice to not make them in advance makes sense (the ones I grew up with, in Italy, are iced profiteroles with pastry cream, rather than ice cream).

Incidentally, if you really want to bring individual-portion sweets, Italian beignet really do lend themselves to being made in advance, and assembled at the last minute, and you could ice them in the colours of a King cake (or use green, purple, and yellow sugar over a white or chocolate sugar icing).

[janeer]

In a word, NO!

They should be light, crispy on the outside and very tender.

If you have a warm, dry place to hold them, they will be okay for 4-6 hours but no longer.

They get leathery, especially in high humidity.

As note above, the batter will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Generally, agree. HOWEVER: I confess to sometimes freezing doughnuts and then reheating them in the microwave (not oven)for bare seconds. Acceptable (not the same as fresh, of course, they lose some of that airiness). If you have time just to fry before you go, you can shape/freeze, then drop them (carefully) in the fryer shortly before you leave for your party.

[Soup]

thank you for the response. I going to make then reheat via microway to see how it turns out. I have to believe they can be made decent. Besides what wouldn't taste good with powder sugar. However, with my hopefulness aside, I've made a prison sized pot of chicken and shrimp jambalaya just in case. Thanks everyone.

Soup

[shaloop]

I live near New Orleans and often buy beignets from Cafe Du Monde. Not good reheated. I've also made them at home from the Cafe Du Monde boxed mix. They are delicious. Taste like the cafe original and easy to prepare. But not so good reheated. Your best bet is to buy the mix and only takes 30 mins to an hour to make them start to finish. And though I often make homemade bread, no recipe I've found comes near to the mix when hot from the oil and covered in powdered sugar. Finish the experience with a fresh press pot of their chicory coffee or cafe au lait.