Beignets with strawberry preserves recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 6 tablespoons warm water (about 110°F)
• ¼ cup evaporated milk
• Half a beaten egg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Strawberry Preserves (or store-bought)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the granulated sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, until the surface becomes foamy as the yeast begins working. Add the evaporated milk, egg, and salt and mix on low speed. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix for a few seconds. Add the butter and continue to mix until combined. Gradually add the remaining flour in ¼-cup intervals, mixing well between each addition, just until the ingredients come together and form a soft, smooth ball of dough. The quantity of flour you’ll use tends to vary from batch to batch, depending on everything from the day’s humidity to the water temperature to the exact vigor of your mixing.
2. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and form it into a smooth ball. Put the dough ball in a large greased stainless-steel bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free area until it has doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes
3. Line a roasting pan or other high-sided pan with parchment paper, dust it with flour, and set it aside. Scoop the risen dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough until it is ⅜ to ½ inch thick. Using a knife or a square biscuit cutter, cut the sheet of dough into 2-inch squares. Put the beignets in the prepared roasting pan. (If you find that the dough is too tender to be handled without being stretched and damaged, try chilling the sheet of dough for 15 to 30 minutes before cutting.) Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the beignets proof a second time, until they have doubled in size again, 20 to 25 minutes. You can fry them immediately at this point, or if you find the dough too tender to handle, put the beignets in the refrigerator one last time to chill. (They can be held for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator at this stage.)
4. Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer until the oil reaches 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with paper towels.
5. Use a metal spoon to gently place the beignets into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pot. Agitate the beignets with a slotted spoon throughout their frying time so that all sides are continuously exposed to the oil. Often, if beignets are allowed to float on the surface of the frying oil untouched, an air pocket will form on the top surface that prevents you from flipping them to fry the reverse side. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown all over. Drain on the paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
6. Toss the beignets in confectioners’ sugar and serve them immediately alongside a bowl of strawberry preserves.