Recipes Appetizers Sesame-Crusted Beignets Be the first to rate & review! These tender and chewy beignets are infused with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds to give them a toasty flavor and a fantastic crunchy exterior. By Nini Nguyen Updated on February 20, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Servings: 12 servings Yield: 48 beignets Jump to recipe When chef Nini Nguyen makes her wonderfully chewy beignets, she gives them Viet-Cajun spin. She takes a classic beignet recipe and deepens the flavor with evaporated milk and toasted sesame oil. The rich yeasted dough is rolled onto a bed of sesame seeds while even more sesame gets sprinkled on top and rolled into the door. After the dough is rolled into a thin rectangle, use a pizza cutter or pastry cutter to cut the beignets from the rolled rectangle. Once they are fried, the result is a golden, crisp, and airy beignet with toasty flavor notes. You can serve these with powdered sugar but they also taste great without it. The Best Beignets in New Orleans Are in Baton Rouge Ingredients 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 large large egg 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope instant or quick-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise) 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch of salt 1 cup sesame seeds, divided Neutral cooking oil (such as canola oil) 1 cup unsifted powdered sugar (optional) Directions In a stand mixer bowl, dissolve sugar in hot water. Add butter, and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Add egg, evaporated milk, and sesame oil to mixer bowl; add yeast. (Touch to make sure mixture isn’t too hot before adding yeast.) Add flour and salt to mixer bowl, stirring well until dough starts to come together. Place bowl on a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Beat on medium speed until dough is stretchy and tacky when touched with dry hands, 4 to 5 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour at room temperature or 4 hours in refrigerator. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sesame seeds over a clean work surface. Place dough on top of sesame seeds, and pat down using your hands. Add remaining 1/2 cup sesame seeds to top of dough. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut dough into about 48 (2- to 3-inch) squares. Pour oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of 3 inches; heat oil between 360°F to 375°F. Fry beignets, in 6 batches, until they float to the top; flip beignets, and fry until golden on both sides, 1 minute to 1 minute, 30 seconds total. Transfer beignets to a wire rack-lined baking pan; sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Dust with powdered sugar (if using); serve. Rate it Print