Beignets

Doneness

Done when the squares have puffed and turned deep golden-brown on both sides and are set all the way through — tear one open and the centre should be light and cooked, not gummy or doughy. A pale, dense square needs another minute; an over-dark one went too long. They puff dramatically, so leave room around each.

Oil & seasoning

Spray both sides well before cooking. Beignet dough is dry on the surface and bakes pale and bready in the convection without it — the oil mist is what gives the fried-dough colour and crisp edge.

Season with: Classic powdered sugar (the benchmark): a heavy, generous snow of powdered sugar over the hot beignets — the New Orleans, Café du Monde way. Dust it on after cooking, never before., Cinnamon-sugar: tossed in cinnamon sugar straight from the basket while still warm., Chocolate-drizzle: dusted with powdered sugar then drizzled with melted chocolate or chocolate-hazelnut spread., Lemon-glaze: a thin lemon-juice-and-powdered-sugar glaze brushed on once cooled slightly..

Watch out for

• !Dust with powdered sugar AFTER cooking, never before — sugar added before the cook scorches and turns bitter in the hot airstream.
• !Spray both sides or the dough bakes pale and bread-like instead of frying golden.
• !Leave space between squares; beignets puff to roughly double and will fuse if they touch.
• !If using yeast dough, let it proof until puffy before cutting — under-proofed dough stays dense and gummy in the centre.