Tropical Fruit Beignets

Name: Tropical Fruit Beignets
Ingredients: 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour; 1/4 ounce dried yeast (1 packet); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon ground mace; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup grapeseed oil; 2 egg yolks; 1 1/4 cups cold, light beer; 3 egg whites; Canola oil, for deep-frying (enough to submerge the beignets); 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground mace; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1/4 cup powdered sugar; 5 small bananas, peeled, cut in 1/2 crosswise; or 3 regular bananas, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and again crosswise; 1 ripe mango, peeled, cut into 10 strips; 10 thick strips pineapple; Powdered sugar; 20 mint leaves, shredded, for garnish; Vanilla-Cinnamon Almibar, recipe follows; 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup water; 1 stick cinnamon; 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

28 ingredients

21 steps

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce dried yeast (1 packet)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups cold, light beer
3 egg whites
Canola oil, for deep-frying (enough to submerge the beignets)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
5 small bananas, peeled, cut in 1/2 crosswise; or 3 regular bananas, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and again crosswise
1 ripe mango, peeled, cut into 10 strips
10 thick strips pineapple
Powdered sugar
20 mint leaves, shredded, for garnish
Vanilla-Cinnamon Almibar, recipe follows
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 stick cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

Directions

1

Combine the sifted flour, yeast, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the spices in a large bowl.
2

In another bowl, combine the grapeseed oil, egg yolks, and beer.
3

Combine the dry and wet ingredients and whisk until all the lumps are gone.
4

Set a mixer on medium-high speed and in another bowl, whip the 3 egg whites with the remaining tablespoon of sugar to a medium-soft peak.
5

Carefully fold the egg whites into the beer batter.
6

Let this mixture rest covered, at room temperature for 1 hour.
7

In a fryer or deep pot heat the oil to 375 degrees F.
8

Whip the heavy cream by hand or with an electric mixer until it becomes stiff.
9

Set aside.
10

Combine the flour, cinnamon, mace, and granulated sugar.
11

Coat the fruit with this, shaking off the excess.
12

Now dip each piece of fruit into the batter, and drop 1 by 1 into the hot oil.
13

Cook the beignets until they are golden brown.
14

Place them on a large plate lined with paper towels, gently patting them to soak up excess oil.
15

Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with the whipped cream topped with mint leaves.
16

For even more flavor, serve drizzled with Almibar Syrup.
17

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, bring them to a boil, then let them simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the mixture is slightly golden and syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup.
18

Remove the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.
19

Refrigerate the syrup.
20

It will keep for up to 2 months.
21

Yield: 1 cup