Equipment
Ingredients
Yeast Activation
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 120 ml warm water
- 120 ml whole milk
- 5 g granulated sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 120 g buckwheat flour
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Wet Ingredients & Mix-ins
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 45 g gruyere cheese, finely grated
- 15 g chives, finely chopped
Frying & Garnish
- 1000 ml neutral oil
- 2 g flaky sea salt
- 10 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 66 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 154 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 13 mg
- Potassium
- 53 mg
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 16 mg
- Phosphorus
- 49 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 13 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, warm milk, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10 minutes until a foamy cap forms on the surface.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and black pepper until completely combined.
Add the lightly beaten egg and melted butter to the foamy yeast mixture. Gradually add the dry flour mixture, stirring constantly until a shaggy, wet dough comes together.
Using a spatula, gently fold the grated gruyere cheese and chopped chives evenly into the dough, ensuring no large clumps of cheese remain.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour, or until it has noticeably doubled in size and appears bubbly.
Fill a Dutch oven with neutral oil to a depth of 5 centimeters. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep fry thermometer registers exactly 180C or 350F.
Carefully drop tablespoon-sized portions of the proofed dough into the hot oil. Fry in small batches to avoid crowding the pan, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes and turning halfway, until deeply golden brown and puffed.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried beignets to a paper towel-lined wire rack to drain excess oil. Immediately garnish with flaky sea salt and a dusting of grated parmesan while the exterior is still hot.
Chef's Notes
- Buckwheat flour contains no gluten, which is why a 50/50 split with all-purpose flour is mandatory here. It provides the necessary gluten structure to trap yeast gases and create an airy interior.
- For the lightest texture, do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added. A shaggy, slightly uneven dough is preferable to a tough, overworked one.
- If you want to prepare this ahead for a dinner party, you can do a slow, cold proof in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Let the dough come to room temperature for 30 minutes before frying.
- Do not skip the wire rack for draining. Resting fried items directly on plates or paper towels without airflow underneath will cause the bottoms to steam and become soggy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store in an airtight container lined with paper towels.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 5 minutes until crispy. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Beignets are dense, greasy, and heavy instead of airy
Cause: The frying oil temperature dropped too low, causing the dough to absorb oil rather than sealing the exterior immediately.
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch. Increase heat and wait for the thermometer to register 180C before frying the next batch.
Prevention: Fry in smaller batches and allow the oil to return to 180C between batches.
The dough did not rise during the resting period
Cause: The yeast was expired, or the milk and water mixture was too hot and killed the yeast.
Fix: Unfixable. The dough must be discarded and restarted.
Prevention: Test liquid temperature before adding yeast; it should feel like warm bathwater, not hot.
Cultural Context
The beignet is deeply rooted in French and Creole culinary traditions, most famously associated with the powdered sugar-dusted treats of New Orleans. This savory interpretation borrows the classic yeast-leavened choux-style technique but incorporates buckwheat, an ingredient heavily utilized in traditional Breton galettes. The resulting fusion bridges French country flavors with Southern American frying techniques.
