Heart-Shaped Valentine's Beignets Recipe With Delicious Filling
These heart-shaped Valentine's beignets are the cutest romantic treat for your loved one. They're soft, spongey, and slightly chewy, loaded with a rich creamy Nutella filling.
Ingredients
For the beignet dough
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 4 tbsp melted butter, cooled to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
- 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
For the filling and garnishes Optional
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Make the beignet dough
- First, preheat your oven to 200ºF (93ºC).
- Next, combine the lukewarm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Give them a gentle stir and leave them to rest for 10 minutes. The yeast will start foaming as it activates.
- After 10 minutes, add the beaten egg, buttermilk, melted cooled butter, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer or use your hands. Slowly add the sifted flour in three additions while the mixer is slowly running.
- Knead the ingredients until your dough starts coming together. When it pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl and has a completely smooth surface area, it has kneaded for long enough. See tips on adjusting the consistency of the dough.
- Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and add it to a separate lightly oiled oven-proof bowl. Cover the dough with plastic or cloth.
- Now, switch off your oven and place the bowl inside. Leave the door slightly open. Your dough will proof for roughly 15-20 minutes.
Shape the beignets
- Once your dough has proven, you can remove it from the cooling oven.
- Sprinkle some flour on the suface and shape the dough into a square. Then, roll it until it's about 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut out some beignets.
- Place them onto a lined baking tray. Once they are all on the tray, leave them inside the cooling oven for another 30 minutes. The should rise and become slightly golden. Again, leave the oven door slightly open.
Fry your beignets
- Preheat your frying oil to 360ºF (180ºC).
- When your beignets are puffed up, add them to the heated oil for roughly 30-60 seconds. Flip them over and leave them to fry on the other side for another 30-60 seconds. They can be flipped/removed when they become golden brown.
- Once cooked, place them on a stack of paper towels to drain the excess oil. Let them cool down for a few minutes.
Make the filling and assemble
- While your beignets are cooling, prepare the filling.
- Whip the heavy cream until it has become light and fluffy, about medium-stiff peaks.
- In a separate bowl, beat the Nutella so that it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Fold the whipped cream into the Nutella mixture in small additions. After every addition, you should work more gently. If you overwork this mixture, it won't be as fluffy as it can be.
- Once the filling has been made, place it into a piping bag.
- Poke a small hole in the side of each heart-shaped beignet. Place the tip/nozzle of the piping bag into the hole and carefully fill it with your creamy Nutella filling.
- Once filled, dust each beignet with powdered sugar and serve them warm or cooled.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 9gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 10gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 647IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!