← Nouns Cooking · American

Ingredients

• 180 ml lukewarm water
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 50 g Sugar
• 1 Eggs
• 120 ml Evaporated milk
• 450 g Plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (optional)
• 30 g Butter, softened
• 1.5 l vegetable oil, for frying
• 100 g Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Stir the water, yeast and a pinch of the sugar together in a large bowl. Whisk in the rest of the sugar, the egg and the evaporated milk.
2. Add the flour, salt and nutmeg and mix to a shaggy dough, then knead in the soft butter for 5 min, until smooth and slightly sticky.
3. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled. (Or chill it overnight; the dough is easier to roll cold.)
4. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 5 mm thick and cut into 6 cm squares with a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Leave on a floured tray for 10 min.
5. Heat 5 cm of oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175°C (350°F). Fry 3 or 4 squares at a time for about 1 minute per side, flipping as soon as they puff, until golden.
6. Drain on kitchen paper, then pile onto plates and shower with icing sugar while still hot. Serve right away with café au lait.

Tips

• Keep the oil temperature steady: too cool and they soak up oil, too hot and the middles stay doughy.
• Shake them in a paper bag with the icing sugar for the full café experience.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

King Arthur Baking Once Upon a Chef Jo Cooks