Pumpkin Beignets

Pumpkin Beignets

2 1/2 cups unbleached, whole wheat all-purpose flour

1 package dry yeast

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup organic pumpkin kefir
1 tablespoon cooking oil (peanut, grapeseed or coconut)

½ cup confectioners sugar
Vegetable oil for frying (I prefer a mix of grapeseed and peanut oil)

Pinch of Kosher salt

Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of very hot water with the kosher salt. Combine the dissolved yeast with 1 cup of the flour and mix until smooth. Form the yeast-flour mixture into a ball and place in a large bowl; cover the bowl with a dishcloth and set in a warm place for an hour, until the yeast-flour mixture has doubled in size.

Use a fork to beat the eggs until frothy. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour and the cooking oil, mixing well with a wooden spoon or whisk.

Once the yeast-flour mixture has doubled in size, combine it with the egg-flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree and kefir; mix until completely smooth. Let stand for one hour. The dough should be elastic and spring back when stretched.

In a tall, straight-sided frying pan, pour in enough vegetable oil to reach a depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Heat the oil to 360°F. (You can test the temperature by dropping in a small amount of the batter. If it immediately starts to bubble and float, the temperature is correct.) Using a soupspoon or a large tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about one minute per side. Use the spoon to baste the cooking dough with a bit of oil from the pan. Drain the beignets on paper towels, then use a small strainer to dust them with confectioners sugar.

from Kefir Cookbook by Julie Smolyanksy