Baked Brown Butter Beignets with Orange Brown Butter Glaze
Nothing can compare to a soft baked Brown Butter Beignet topped with a sweet orange brown butter glaze. There’s big flavor in these bite-sized treats!
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Ingredients
For the beignets
½tablespoon(113g)unsalted butter
¾cup(180ml)warm water, 110-115°F
½cup(100g)sugar
1envelopeactive dry yeast, 2 and ¼ teaspoons
3 ½cups(470g)bread flour
1teaspoonsalt
1egg, lightly beaten
1 ½teaspoonsvanilla paste
½cup(120ml)whole milk, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
For the glaze
brown butter, reserved from beignets
2cups(240g)confectioner's sugar
1tablespoonorange zest, about 1 large orange
3tablespoonsfresh orange juice, about 2 large oranges
Instructions
Make the beignets
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, whisk it frequently. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the butter turns a light amber color and has a nutty aroma. Watch it closely, it can go from brown to burnt rather quickly.
Remove from heat, transfer 3 tablespoons to a small glass bowl then transfer the remaining brown butter to a second small glass bowl. Let cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, stir together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is dissolved and foamy.
In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, add the egg, vanilla paste, 1/2 cup milk, and the 3 tablespoons of cooled browned butter. Whisk to combine and add to the flour mixture. Add the yeast mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until a soft, sticky dough forms. (The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but feel tacky with touched lightly with your finger.)
With well-floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oil bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly flour surface and roll it into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or pastry wheel to slice the dough into 1 1/2 inch thick square. Place the squares 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a lint free towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the tops of each square with remaining 2 tablespoons milk and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. While the beignets are still warm, drizzle the tops with the orange brown butter glaze.
Make the glaze
If the remaining brown butter has begun to solidify, warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds.
In a medium bowl, whisk the brown butter, confectioner's sugar, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth.
Notes
Prep time does not include rise time. Please allow 2 hours and 45 minutes for the dough to rise.