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Who needs a little sweetness this Monday? These are like doughnut’s cousins with a snoody French name, but they are basically just squared doughnuts.

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I’ve always liked the smell of lavender in lotions and things but I’ve never tasted it, so I was very pleasantly surprised that it’s delicious, especially with a beignet and a load of vanilla frosting! If you aren’t a big fan I guess you could skip it but I think it really sets these off. At the very least you should try adding just a tiny bit. It is very strong and if you add too much it will probably make you feel like you’re eating shampoo, but if you get the right balance it’s so good with these.

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French Vanilla & Lavender Beignets

Is there anything quite like a doughnut? I don't think so.....unless it's a beignet. These lavender beignets are the most delicious cousin that you never knew doughnuts had!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 20 beignets

Ingredients

Lavender Vanilla Bean Icing:
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
scrapings from 1 large vanilla bean
1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
4 cup powdered sugar
Lavender Vanilla Bean Cream:
1/4 cup unsweetened cashew yogurt
1/4 cup 1/2 stick vegan butter, softened
1/4 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup prepared lavender icing from above
Beignets:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk lukewarm
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

First make your icing and filling, Whisk together the ingredients for the icing in a medium bowl until smooth. and set aside. Combine yogurt and butter in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat together until creamed and fluffy. Add cream and 1/2 cup of icing then mix until combined. Cover and place mixture into the fridge until ready for it.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if doing by hand), dissolve yeast in water and allow to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in coconut milk and sugar, then and salt until combined. Add flour a cup at a time until it comes together into a smooth dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and place in warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough overnight.)
When dough is ready divide it in half. Roll one half out into a square, roughly 10x10, and cut into 16 squares. Place the squares on a tray and allow them to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large high-sided pan to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line a plate with paper towels. Drop dough squares, a few at a time, gently into oil and fry on each side for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on prepared plate.
Now fill a pastry bag fitted with a long narrow tip with the lavender cream and pipe into the centers then spread about 1 tablespoon of icing on top of each. Serve asap.

ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL! All of these food photos were taken with my Nikon D750 and my favorite Lens, the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. You can find out more in my INTRO POST.