Parmesan beignet

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put 120g cold water and the diced butter in a saucepan. Weight the flour into a sieve set over a bowl, add the salt and mustard powder. Sift into the bowl then sift again onto a sheet of baking paper.

Step 2

Put the pan over a medium heat and gently swirl until the butter has melted. Bring to just below the boil then take off the heet and immediately shoot in the flour. Stir to bring together, then cook for 45-60 seconds, stirring.

Step 3

Stir in the parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread onto a plate and leave to cool for around 15 minutes.

Step 4

Tip the paste into a mixing bowl then gradually beat in the egg. You should end up with a mixture that is glossy and drops reluctantly from the spoon. If it's still too staff add a little more beaten egg or a splash of milk. Chill for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Add oil to a large saucepan to fill it 1/3 full. Heat to 175°C. Add a teaspoon of mixture to the oil at a time. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Repeat until they are all cooked.

Step 6

Add a few sage leaves to the oil to crisp them up for about 15 seconds.

Step 7

Beignets can be fried ahead of time and reheated in the oven at fan 180°C for 3-4 minutes.