These Fried Puffs are made from an irresistible, rich dough that is balanced out perfectly with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Somewhere along my baking journey, I decided to do a fried dough recipe that was created from other desserts (mainly cannoli’s). I think I just wanted to make beignets but didn’t go as far as looking up a traditional recipe. Instead, I decided to make whatever this is. I think this is the first time I don’t really have a name for my creation so I’m just gonna call it a fried puff.
And these fried puffs are delicious. More delicious than I anticipated. And probably more delicious than they had any right to be. The process of making the dough was fairly simple and didn’t require much resting time. I think that is a fundamentally difference from a beignet. Beignets use yeast which means they take time. These fried puffs don’t. Which means I can indulge quicker than I should.
Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.
Ingredients
The most uncommon ingredient in this recipe would be the white wine. I do not normally cook with wine, nor do I drink so it’s not something I would typically have in my arsenal. This dough is interesting because it is light and fluffy while not really having a rising agent. Or, at least, one that I am familiar with. Besides maybe egg yolk.
Process
Making the Dough
I decided to use a mixing bowl for this process, but I do think a food processor could also work. I started by whisking together the flour, sugar, and salt. Consistency is key since these are all dry ingredients.
Then I added cubes of butter. Having the butter in cubes makes it easier to disperse throughout the dry ingredients. I did use my hands for this process, and I find that they are the best tool for rubbing in butter.
Lastly, I added in the egg yolk and white wine. This really brought the ingredients together to make a dough. And it felt like a dense dough as well. I wanted to let the moisture spready even throughout the dough so I ended up wrapping it and putting the dough in the fridge to chill.
Shaping and Frying
Once the dough was chilled enough, I divided the dough into 16 relatively even pieces. This isn’t a bake-off recipe, so I didn’t feel the need to measure each ball out. Then I used a press to flatten each ball into a circle. This process reminded me greatly of making pooris. The dough was about 1/8th and an inch thick.
With the dough ready, it’s time to fry! I wanted the oil to be bubbling hot. I ended up using a temperature thermometer to make sure that the frying oil was at 360° Fahrenheit. Then I fried up the dough puffs one at a time. Having only one in the oil at a time is slower but allows me to have more control over the puff. My attention wasn’t divided, it could focus solely on one thing. I fried them for about 1-2 minutes on each side.
When one got removed, I would wait for the oil to come back to temperature before frying the next one. I waited to finish frying all of them before sprinkling whole play with powdered sugar.
Reflections
These were delicious. It felt like some strange cross between poori, a beignet, and an elephant ear. All god, classic fried foods. One thing io really liked about this recipe is the lack of sugar. While a hint of sugar remains in the dough (mainly to help with browning), it is not overly sweet dessert by any means.
Honestly, I think it is more savory than sweet, but I can enjoy the taste no matter what I’m going for. Maybe, just maybe, I didn’t really care about that because I wolfed these down in a day.
Lessons
Splash Protection
It’s always good to have some sort of splash protection when frying. Oil burns hurt. I know. I like having a splash guard that is effectively a mesh tennis racket but for cooking and not tennis. Placing the mesh on top of the frying pot will help stop any splashes while still letting you see into the fryer.
recipe
Fried Puffs
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ Cup White Wine
- ¼ Cup Lukewarm Water
- ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add in diced butter pieces and work with hands until the mixture becomes fine and has a crumb like texture.
- Add the egg yolk and white wine. Mix until the ingredients come together to form a smooth dough.
- Pressed the dough into a thick oval, wrap, and chill for 15 to 30 minutes.
- In a medium pot, heat the sunflower oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Divide dough into 16 pieces and shape into balls. Roll out / press each piece until they are 1/8 inch thick.
- Fry, one at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place on paper towel to help drain off any excess oil.
- Enjoy!
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