Hot Viennese Fritters

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
• •Rolling pin
• •2-inch (5 cm) blunt-backed round cutter
• •2½-inch (6.5 cm) sharp round cutter
• •Heavy 4 to 5-quart (3.8 to 4.7 L) pot
• •Deep-frying thermometer
• •Wire skimmer or spider
• •Wire rack set over a tray

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the pâte

   Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk and egg, then mix until no dry flour remains. Knead for about 5 minutes, until the rough dough begins to gain elasticity. Work in the soft butter a little at a time, adding each portion only after the previous one disappears, then knead for another 8 to 10 minutes. The finished pâte should be smooth, supple, and lightly tacky, not wet. If melted butter makes it greasy and slippery, chill the dough for 10 minutes and resume kneading. Ça se rattrape.

2. 2

   Give first rise

   Shape the pâte into a ball and place it in a lightly buttered bowl. Cover and leave it in a comfortably warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, until it looks aerated and has grown by roughly half. Rich dough rises more quietly than bread dough, so don't wait for an enormous dome. Press out the gas gently. If the pâte feels too soft to roll cleanly, flatten it into a thick rectangle and chill it for 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Roll paired sheets

   Divide the pâte into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a matching rectangle exactly ⅕ inch (5 mm) thick. Keep the corners square enough that the sheets will cover one another. Lay one sheet before you and arrange eight level tablespoons of cold jam at regular intervals, leaving at least 1¼ inches (3 cm) of clean dough around every mound. Thick, cold filling stays where it belongs; loose fruit syrup will find the seam.

4. 4

   Fill seal and cut

   Brush a very thin film of water around each mound, never over the jam. Lay the second sheet on top and ease it down from the centre outward, pressing out trapped air without flattening the filling. Centre the blunt back of a 2-inch (5 cm) round cutter over each mound and press firmly to join the two layers in a complete ring. Stamp out the beignet with a sharp 2½-inch (6.5 cm) cutter. Inspect every edge. If jam has touched the join or a gap opens, don't trust it in the oil: wipe the spot clean, patch it with a thin piece of dough, and press the ring again. Ça se rattrape.

   A faintly damp ring seals; a shiny wet ring slides. Use the water with the restraint of an envelope seal.
5. 5

   Prove thirty minutes

   Set the fritters well apart on a parchment-lined tray lightly dusted with flour, the home equivalent of the original floured linen. Cover loosely and prove for 30 minutes in a warm, draught-free place. They should look slightly puffed and feel lighter, but the seams must remain distinct. Begin heating the oil halfway through the proof so the beignets can go straight into steady heat.

6. 6

   Fry at steady heat

   Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot, leaving the vessel no more than half full, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Lower in two or three beignets without crowding. Fry until deep golden underneath, about 1½ to 2 minutes, then turn and fry the second side for another 1½ minutes. Keep the oil between 340 and 350°F (170 and 175°C). If the beignets darken before they swell, lower the heat; if they remain pale and drink oil, pause between batches and restore the temperature. If one leaks, lift it out immediately and skim away the escaped fruit before it burns.

7. 7

   Drain sugar and serve

   Lift the beignets onto a wire rack set over absorbent paper and let them drain for 2 minutes. Dust them generously with icing sugar while they are still hot, then arrange them on a warm platter. Serve at once, with the finished Sabayon à la crème alongside if desired, flavored with vanilla, lemon, orange, coffee, or kirsch as the original entry permits. The crisp bronze shell and tender crumb wait for no one. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use thick jam or fruit cooked down until a spoon dragged through it leaves a clear path. If your preserve runs, simmer it briefly, cool it completely, and then fill the beignets. A loose filling can defeat even a careful seal.
• •A preserved fruit is exactly right here. The classical pantry understood that ripe flavor kept in a jar is better than tired fresh fruit brought home out of season.
• •The thermometer is not fuss. A small pot loses heat quickly when cold dough enters, and steady fat is what gives a light crumb instead of a greasy one.
• •Re-roll the scraps only once and let them rest for 10 minutes before rolling. Dough that springs back is asking for rest, not force.
• •Sabayon à la crème is optional, not an excuse to hold the fritters. Put the sauce on the table first, then fry. Vanilla and citrus keep the plate light; coffee or kirsch make it more emphatic.

Advance Preparation

• •The jam or stewed fruit can be reduced and chilled several days ahead. Keep it covered and cold so it remains firm during shaping.
• •The pâte may make its first rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling, then preserve the source method by giving the shaped beignets their full 30-minute proof.
• •Once shaped and proved, the beignets should be fried without delay. Holding them too long weakens the seals and lets the filling press outward.
• •These are at their best from the pot. If necessary, fry them up to 2 hours ahead, leave them undusted, and rewarm them for 5 minutes in a 325°F (165°C) oven before adding the icing sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (2 fritters, about 190g)