Making Banana-Coconut Beignets with Chocolate Ganache & Dulce de Leche

It’s safe to say that today’s been a long day, what with helping mother in the kitchen and around the house in the early morning in lieu of Eid tomorrow (or is it on Wednesday? still pending sightings of the moon), but I wanted to post something before disappearing for the celebration. So here goes the simple snack with a mouthful of a title. Both chocolate ganache and dulce de leche, on their own, makes a wonderful dip for these little buggers - but what’s there to stop you from dipping these in both? I’ll tell you what - Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Banana-Coconut Beignets (a tweaked version of the one from justgetoffyourbuttandbake)

[2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying + 1 - 1/2 cups cake flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon + 1/3 cup sugar + 1 large egg + 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup mashed banana + 2/3 cup shredded coconut + teaspoon of vanilla extract + 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar (to dust off)]

 ** If you do not have Cake Flour, use 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour minus 3 Tablespoons.  

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and granulated sugar in a large bowl.

Mash the banana (about 1 large overripe one)

Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla extract and vegetable oil in another bowl. 

Add the mashed bananas and shredded coconut.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.

Leave the batter to sit for at least 10 minutes.

Heat about 2 inches vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until a deep fry thermometer register 375 degrees F.

Working in batches, drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 15 seconds per side.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, then roll in the cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.

**Dips:

Chocolate Ganache

[4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped + 1/4 cup heavy cream]

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. 

Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until comes to a boil

Pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Dulce De Leche:

[1 can of condensed milk]

Place the can in a deep sauce pan and fill the pan with water just until 3/4^th of the can is immersed and simmer over low heat for 2-4 hours.

**The time depends on how thick and dark you want your dulce de leche to be – I simmered mine for 2 hours, but if you’d like it thicker and darker, then continue simmering.

Keep an eye on the the water level, making sure to refill the water and maintain the level. After the 2-4 hours, turn off the heat and let the can cool.

Remove the lid and serve or use as desired.

Serve the beignets with both (or either one) sauces on the side.

Enjoy! (and an early Eid Mubarak!)