So it has been a mega busy week at our home and we fancy a treat! Beignets… aka little pillows resembling doughnuts in texture! This recipe cooks these little delights in the air fryer, so are more healthy than the traditionally deep fried version, which is famous in New Orleans dusted heavily with icing sugar! I have chosen to serve mine with the delicious sauce on the side, I had this in a Vietnamese restaurant and absolutely loved it, it is perfect served with the beignets! Plus it is gluten and dairy free so is great served with other desserts!

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Ingredients:

8oz plain Greek yoghurt (by all means experiment with flavoured)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or granulated sweetener)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup self raising flour, plus more for the work surface

Olive oil or coconut oil spray

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup icing sugar

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Coconut and Ginger Custard:

400g tin of coconut milk

2tsp cornflour

4tbsp granulated sweetener

1tbsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2″ piece fresh ginger roughly chopped (optional) *switch ginger for a 3″ cinnamon stick

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Method:

Preheat oven to 180’c and lay kitchen roll onto a large plate.

Stir the yoghurt, granulated sugar and vanilla together in a medium bowl until combined. Add the flour and stir until all of the flour is moistened and a dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Fold the dough over onto itself 2-3 times until smooth. Do not over work the dough or they will be heavy and stoggy. Pat into a 4×5-inch (1-inch thick) rectangle, then cut into 9 pieces.

Separate the pieces and lightly dust each side with flour until smooth and no longer tacky. Set aside for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, make the coconut custard. In a small sauce pan, add most of the coconut milk, leaving 1/4 in tin. Add the cornflour to the remaining coconut milk in the tin and mix until it is a smooth paste. Add to the saucepan with the rest of the coconut milk, stir well with a whisk and add remaining ingredients. Gently bring the custard up to a gentle simmer, using a rubber spatula to stir. Paying attention to the bottom of the pan and sides. Heat through gently, around 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously until thickened. You should be able to coat the spatula in the custard, run your finger along the spatula and leave a clean line. Set aside. Serve warm or cool, either is delicious!

Lightly coat the air fryer basket with olive or coconut oil spray (do not use vegetable oil cooking spray, which can damage the coating on the basket). Brush the tops of the beignets with melted butter.

Place 4-5 of beignets butter-side down in a single layer without touching in the air fryer. Brush the tops of the beignets with butter. Close the air fryer and reset to 180’c if needed.

Cook on the first side until the edges appear dry and begin to brown and the beignet releases easily from the basket, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, around 6 minutes more.

Transfer to the kitchen towel lined plate and generously dust with icing sugar. Repeat with frying the remaining beignets.

Serve warm, they are best served immediately after frying with the coconut custard on the side for dunking!

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