Chocolate Filled Beignets (French Quarter Meets Chocolate Heaven)

Beignets are already perfect. Adding chocolate makes them transcendent. Pillowy, deep-fried dough stuffed with rich, melted chocolate and buried in powdered sugar. One bite. Eyes roll back. Make a double batch.

Ingredients

Makes 16-18 beignets.

For the Dough:

  • 1 cup (240ml) warm water (110°F / 45°C)
  • ¼ cup (50g) sugar
  • 1 packet (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour
  • Oil for deep frying

For the Filling:

  • 4 oz (115g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks (or chocolate chips)

For Topping:

  • Powdered sugar (lots!)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make Dough

  1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add egg, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour. Knead 5-7 minutes until smooth. Cover and rise 1 hour until doubled.

Step 2: Roll & Cut

  1. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 2½ to 3-inch squares.

Step 3: Fill

  1. Place 3-4 chocolate chunks in the center of each square. Top with another square. Press edges firmly to seal (no chocolate should escape).

Step 4: Second Rise

  1. Cover and rise 30 minutes.

Step 5: Fry

  1. Heat 2 inches of oil to 360°F (182°C). Fry beignets in batches, 2-3 per batch, for 1-2 minutes per side until puffed and deep golden brown.

Step 6: Sugar Attack

  1. Drain briefly on paper towels. While still warm, dredge generously in powdered sugar (like, aggressively).

Step 7: Serve

  1. Serve immediately. Chocolate will be lava-hot. That’s the point.

Summary

Prep Time: 25 min + rises | Cook Time: 15 min | Total: 40 min + rises

Yield: 16-18 beignets | Difficulty: Medium

Storage Notes

Best fresh. Beignets don’t improve with age. Freeze unfilled, uncut dough for 3 months. Fill and fry fresh. Never refrigerate — they get sad. Leftovers? Reheat in air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes, then re-sugar.

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