andrejthechef
USADessertBreakfastVegetarian

Tiana's Beignets

Puffy, pillowy New Orleans fried dough, dusted heavily with icing sugar. The beignet Tiana dreams of selling from her own restaurant.

prep
30 min
cook
15 min
total
45 min
serves
12
level
medium
Tiana's Beignets, from The Princess and the Frog (2009)

In The Princess and the Frog (2009), beignets are tied directly to Tiana's dream: the dish she grew up making with her father, and the one she plans to sell from the restaurant she's saving every penny to open.

A real New Orleans beignet is square, not round, and gets no hole cut in the middle, finished with a dusting of icing sugar heavy enough to look almost like snowfall. That heavy hand with the sugar isn't decorative excess; it's the actual local standard.

Part of our 40 famous movie foods list.

method

  1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar in the warm water, and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

  2. Whisk in the evaporated milk and egg.

  3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, remaining sugar and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the softened butter, and mix into a soft dough.

  4. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

  5. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours, until doubled, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.

  6. Roll the dough out to about 1cm thick, and cut into squares, roughly 8cm across.

  7. Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pot.

  8. Fry the squares in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until puffed and golden, turning once.

  9. Drain on paper towels, then toss or dust generously and heavily with icing sugar while still warm.

  10. Serve immediately, while hot.

chef's tips

  • A genuinely heavy dusting of icing sugar, far more than feels reasonable, is correct and traditional; New Orleans beignets are known for a snowfall of sugar on top, not a light sprinkle.
  • An overnight rest in the fridge develops more flavor in the dough than a same-day rise, and it is a common trick at New Orleans beignet shops.
  • Beignets are traditionally served without a hole, unlike a ring doughnut, and square or rectangular rather than round.
  • In The Princess and the Frog (2009), beignets are Tiana's signature dream dish, the thing she plans to sell from her own restaurant, and they open and close the film as a symbol of her ambition.