Delicious Haitian Beignets with Rhum Barbancourt
Haitian beignets, also known as benyen, are a delicious and unique take on the classic French beignet. Made with ripe bananas, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, and Rhum Barbancourt, these beignets are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They are perfect for serving as a dessert or snack, and they are especially popular during Carnival season in Haiti.
Why should we make Haitian beignets during Mardi Gras or Carnival Season?
Beignets are a delicious and iconic Mardi Gras food, and there are several reasons why we should make them during this festive time.
- Beignets are a tradition. Beignets have been a part of Mardi Gras celebrations for centuries, and they are a delicious way to connect with the history and culture of this holiday.
- Beignets are easy to make. Beignets are made with simple ingredients, and they are relatively easy to make, even for novice cooks. This makes them a great food to make for Mardi Gras parties and gatherings.
- Beignets are versatile. Beignets can be served plain or dusted with powdered sugar, or they can be topped with a variety of other toppings, such as fruit sauce, whipped cream, or chocolate sauce. This makes them a crowd-pleaser that everyone can enjoy.
I’m sharing with you a quick and easy recipe for delectable beignets. Beignets are typically made with flour, cinnamon powder, freshly grated nutmeg, rum, and other ingredients. I prefer Rhum Barbancourt because of its robust flavor and perfect balance.
You can use any type of rum you prefer in this recipe, but keep in mind that the rum will significantly affect the taste. It is best to use a colored rum, such as an amber or dark rum. Rhum Barbancourt is a dark rum, which is why the beignets in this recipe are darker than traditional beignets.
The ingredients
- All-purpose flour sifted
- Eggs, large or jumbo preferably
- Water at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Zest of 1 lime
- Unsalted melted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Dark rum preferably
- Oil for frying vegetable or canola oil preferably
- Confectioner’s powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour, egg yolks, sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime zest, melted butter, vanilla, and rum until smooth.
- In a mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into flour mixture until just combined.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan. Carefully drop in batter by tablespoons and fry until golden brown on both sides.
- Drain beignets on paper towels and serve hot with powdered sugar.
This quick and easy recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. Enjoy these beignets for breakfast, dessert, or anytime in between. I love to dust them with confectioner’s sugar and serve them with ice cream.
Notes and Tips
- For the best flavor, use ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the beignets will be.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the beignets tough.
- Fry the beignets in batches so that they don’t overcrowd the skillet.
- If you don’t have Rhum Barbancourt, you can substitute another dark rum.
- Serve the beignets immediately with powdered sugar and Rhum Barbancourt (optional).
Variations:
- For a more traditional Haitian beignet, omit the cinnamon and almond extract.
- For a chocolate beignet, add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the batter.
- For a fruity beignet, add 1/4 cup of chopped fresh fruit to the batter, such as blueberries, strawberries, or bananas.
Serving suggestions:
- Serve Haitian beignets with powdered sugar and Rhum Barbancourt (optional).
- Serve Haitian beignets with a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream.
- Serve Haitian beignets with a side of fresh fruit.
- Serve Haitian beignets with a cup of coffee or tea.
No matter how you serve them, Haitian beignets are a delicious and unique treat that is sure to please everyone.
Enjoy Delicious Caribbean Beignets with Rhum Barbancourt anytime you want.
Delicious Caribbean Beignets with Rhum Barbancourt
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 eggs separated
- ½ cup water at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon unsalted melted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup dark rum preferably
- Oil for frying vegetable or canola oil preferably
- Confectioner’s powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently mix flour, egg yolks, sugar and water. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, lime zest, melted butter, vanilla, and rum, mix well and set aside.
- In a mixer, add egg whites with salt. Beat until stiff and peaks are formed. Fold into flour mixture gently to form a smooth paste. Make sure that there are no lumps.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan; carefully drop in teaspoon full of the mixture. Fried both side until golden, remove fritters and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Corn Allergy:
Always choose ingredients without corn or corn derivatives.
Orogonally published on February 10, 2016. Revised and updated.
Hi Gemma, I just stumbled unto your site. I want to thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes, they take me back home. Do you have a beignet recipe that includes ripe bananas in the batter?
Hello Danielle, thanks so much for the compliment. Unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe that includes bananas. You may want to use the same batter and add mashed bananas (number of bananas will depend on the amount of batter). The batter is not that much different. Have fun making them! 🙂