Apple
Pecan Beignets with Pecan Panna Cotta
Chef Megan Roen of Bayona – New Orleans, LA
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
Panna Cotta
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup pecan paste
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 sheets gelatin, bloomed and drained
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Beignet Filling
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 Granny Smith apples, small dice
- 1 cup pecan pieces
Beignet Dough
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
- 5 Tablespoons whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 ½ cups flour, sifted
- 1 cup pecan flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 ounces butter
- 1 cup water
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Method: For Panna Cotta:
Combine heavy cream, pecan paste and sugar in a sauce pan. Heat
to scalding, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
Dissolve gelatin sheets in warm mixture, then add buttermilk and
mix thoroughly. Pour into 10-inch square pan lined with aluminum
foil. Refrigerate over night. Turn out and cut into squares, ½
- inch x 1 ½ - inch.
For Beignet Filling:
Combine butter, vanilla and brown sugar in sauté pan. Melt
over medium heat, and add apples and pecan pieces. Cook until apple
is soft. Turn out onto baking sheet and cool.
For Beignet Dough:
Combine yeast and milk. Whisk until yeast is dissolved. Whisking
at low speed, add eggs. In separate bowl, mix flours, cinnamon,
ground cloves, sugar and salt. In small sauce pan, melt butter and
water together. Alternating wet and dry ingredients, add to yeast
mixture. A dough will form. Wrap dough in plastic and rest for two
hours.
For Beignets:
Divide dough in half. On floured board, roll out one piece to ¼
- inch thickness. Score half of the sheet with 2 ¼ - inch
round cutter, leaving 1 – inch spaces between marks. Place
one Tablespoon of filling per circle. Fold other half of dough on
top of marked circles, making a sandwich. Using same cutter, cut
through sandwiched dough to create beignets. Remove to floured baking
sheet. Repeat with second ball of dough.
Fry in preheated oil at 350°F until golden brown. Drain and
toss in cinnamon-spice sugar.
To Serve:
Serve two beignets per person, atop a square of panna cotta and
drizzle with caramel sauce. |
