Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Whole Milk
• 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
• 4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 1/2 cups Artisan Bread Flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cardamom
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Vegetable or Peanut Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Slowly heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles form on the surface. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and add the buttermilk. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture, gently whisk, and set aside to proof the yeast for 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, cardamom and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, and then add the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, slowly mix until the dough is fully moistened, then increase the speed to “knead” and continue kneading until the dough forms a loose ball and is still quite wet and tacky (approximately 3-4 minutes.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the dough aside in a draft-free spot for 1 hour.
3. Pour enough oil into a large pot to fill it to a depth of 3 inches and bring to a temperature of 360°F over medium heat. (NOTE: when warming oil for frying, slow and steady is the key. Warm the oil on on medium-high until it reaches the desired temp). Set out a drying rack over a sheet pan (or paper towels).
4. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out on it. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, gently press to flatten, fold it in half, and gently tuck the ends under to create a rough-shaped log. Roll dough out into a 1/3 -inch-thick rectangle.
5. Using a pastry cutter (or sharp chef’s knife or pizza cutter), cut the dough lengthwise into six 3-inch strips, then cut the strips into 3-inch sections so you end up with 30-36 3-inch beignets). Let the dough rest in place for 5 minutes.
6. Before adding the beignet to the hot oil, gently stretch the dough pieces lengthwise. Fry a few beignets at a time without overcrowding, until puffed and golden brown, turning them often with a slotted spoon. They should take approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side.
7. Remove the beignets to the prepared cooling rack and allow to rest for about a minute. Then, GENEROUSLY coat the beignets in powdered sugar (either by sprinkling with a sifter, or by tossing them into a bowl full of the powdered sugar).
8. Serve immediately and enjoy!