In New Orleans, beignets are a fried yeasted dough served with confectioners’ sugar on top. They are traditionally prepared right before they’re served to be eaten fresh and hot. They were brought to New Orleans in the 18th century by French colonists, and made famous by the Café du Monde.
Add water, milk, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, egg, sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast in that order to pan of bread machine. Start machine on dough cycle. When kneading is complete, remove dough from bread machine pan, place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate over night. The next day, remove dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before wanting to roll it out.
Preheat oil to 360° F.
On a lightly floured surface roll dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch x 3-inch rectangles. Deep fry, flipping constantly until golden brown (about 1 minute). Drain Beignets on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately. Yield: 3 dozen Beignets.