Nutella-Stuffed Beignets – A Homemade French Treat Recipe
Nutella-Stuffed Beignets are a delightful homemade French treat featuring light, fluffy fried dough filled with rich chocolate and hazelnut ganache or creamy Nutella. These sweet, cinnamon-sugar coated pastries are perfect for breakfast or a decadent dessert, combining classic beignet texture with a luscious, nutty filling that melts in your mouth.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 beignets 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Dough:
- 450 g all-purpose flour
- 200 ml warm milk (30°C)
- 2 eggs
- 65 g unsalted butter, melted
- 30 g vanilla sugar
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 8 g dry yeast
Filling:
- 200 g dark chocolate (70%)
- 200 g 15% cream
- 200 g finely grated hazelnuts (store-bought)
- Or store-bought Nutella, softened slightly at room temperature
Coating:
- Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a bowl, whisk together 200 ml warm milk (30°C), 8 g dry yeast, and 10 g sugar. Let it sit for 15 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 eggs, 30 g vanilla sugar, and 65 g melted cooled butter. Gradually add 450 g all-purpose flour, starting with one third to create a smooth batter, then mix in the remaining flour until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough by hand for 5 to 8 minutes or use a mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Shape it into a ball, place in a bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare the filling: Melt 200 g dark chocolate (70%) with 200 g 15% cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. In a dry skillet, toast 200 g finely grated hazelnuts for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often until lightly golden and fragrant. Stir the toasted hazelnuts into the ganache, let cool, and refrigerate until thickened (about 30 minutes). Alternatively, use softened store-bought Nutella.
- Shape the beignets: Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1 cm thickness. Cut into circles using a round cutter 8–10 cm in diameter. Place on a floured tray, cover with a towel, and let rise for another 15 minutes.
- Fry the beignets: Heat neutral oil to 165°C (330°F) in a deep pot. Fry the beignets in small batches for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Coat the beignets: While still warm, roll the beignets in granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon to coat evenly.
- Fill the beignets: Once cooled, make a small incision on the side of each beignet and fill generously with the chilled ganache or Nutella using a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Serve fresh and enjoy warm!
Notes
- You can use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for more chewiness, though all-purpose flour gives a softer texture.
- Milk chocolate can be substituted for dark chocolate, but reduce the cream slightly to maintain the proper consistency of the ganache.
- Replace hazelnuts with toasted almonds or pecans, keeping them finely grated for texture.
- For alternative fillings, try jam, fruit curd, or pastry cream instead of the chocolate-hazelnut ganache or Nutella.
- Best eaten fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
- Reheat beignets by microwaving for 10 seconds to soften them slightly before filling.
- Freeze unfilled beignets and reheat in the oven; fill them after reheating for best results.
Keywords: Nutella beignets, French beignets, fried dough dessert, chocolate hazelnut filling, homemade beignets, cinnamon sugar coating