Big Easy Pumpkin Beignets

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup very hot water
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 large brown eggs
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (peanut, grapeseed, or coconut)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup organic plain whole-milk kefir
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying (I use a mix of grapeseed and peanut oil)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the hot water with the kosher salt. Combine the dissolved yeast with 1 cup of the flour and mix until smooth. Form the yeast/flour mixture into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
2. Use a fork to beat the eggs until frothy. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and the cooking oil, mixing well with a wooden spoon or whisk. Once the yeast/flour mixture has doubled in size, combine it with the egg/flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree and kefir and mix until completely smooth.
3. Let stand for 1 hour. The dough should be elastic and spring back when stretched. Pour 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil into a deep, straight-sided frying pan and heat the oil to 360°F. (You can test the temperature by dropping in a small amount of the batter. If it immediately starts to bubble and float, the temperature is correct.) Using a soup spoon or a large tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Use the spoon to baste the cooking dough with a bit of oil as they fry. Drain the beignets on paper towels, then use a small sieve to dust them with powdered sugar.