• ½ cup whole milk (118ml) • ½ cup water (118ml) • 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g) • ¾ teaspoon salt • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted • 1 large egg lightly beaten  (room temperature preferred) • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more as needed (438g) • Vegetable or canola oil for frying  (any neutral cooking oil will work) • 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting (125g)

Combine water and milk in a heatproof container and heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals until it has reached a temperature between 105-115F.

Pour liquid into a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and about 1 teaspoon of your sugar and stir. Allow to sit until foamy,  about 5-10 minutes.

Once mixture is foamy, add remaining sugar, salt, melted butter and egg and 2 cups (250g) of flour. Stir well.  Add remaining flour, stirring until combined.

Transfer the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rise in a warm,  draft-free place until doubled  in size (about 1-2 hours).

Fill a medium-sized saucepan about 2-3” deep with oil. Fix a thermometer to the pan and turn heat to medium. Heat oil to  375F (190C). This should take approximately 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle that’s  ¼-½”  thick. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into 2.5" squares. 

Once oil has reached temperature, fry beignets by gently lowering into oil with a strainer or with tongs. Cook about 1 ½ minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Cool beignets several minutes then dust generously with powdered sugar and serve.