I guess they call it Fat Tuesday for a reason, because we all know if we were to indulge in too many of these fried doughy treats (above)–a carnival favorite– that’s exactly how our day (and likely we) would feel. But don’t let me scare you off with that kind of talk; it’s no time to be thinking skinny, and certainly no fun when there are warm beignets in the house.

Besides I’m about to go swimming and it’s all in the name of recipe testing and tasting and finding out a little more about Mardi Gras, the annual celebration inevitably linked to this day of merriment. It’s no wonder I saw a masked character dancing around the light pole this morning on the way to school (And I thought it had to do with being in Berkeley).

In fact, Fat Tuesday refers to the ancient Christian tradition of indulging on rich foods the day before the fasting season of Lent began, or as Rob Kasper of the Baltimore Sun laid it out in his column, as the last day for sinners to indulge. It also marks the culmination of carnival season, usually starting around the Epiphany and typically ending on the day before Ash wednesday, hence the big day, or Mardi Gras, as it is known in French. In other words, it’s one big Tuesday party. But enough of that, the truth is I have always wanted to make these little pillows of sin and today’s festivities gave me the prompt I needed.

Beignets are basically doughnuts–puffy, square-shaped, crispy gems liberally coated with powdered sugar and made famous by the folks in New Orleans. Some beignets are filled with jam, some are made with yeast doughs, and risen overnight, and others not. The following recipe is an adaptation of  chef Paul Prudhomme’s yeast dough recipe combined with a recipe I found on Epicurious.

The dough is easy to pull together, the frying a bit of a task–make sure you have a deep pot for cooking, the right kind of oil, paper towels on hand, and the patience to withstand the heat.

And then, indulge.

It aint Fat Tuesday for nothing.

Buttermilk Beignets

½ up whole milk

1 cup cold buttermilk

1 packet (about 2 ½ teaspoons) active dry yeast

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

3 cups flour, plus more for rolling

Pinch salt

Peanut or Canola oil, for frying

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Scald the milk in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add the cold buttermilk and transfer to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in yeast and sugar; let stand for a few minutes. Add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed, using a dough hook, or beat in by hand using a wooden spoon. Beat in the butter. Continue beating until dough just comes together and forms a ball. It will still be a little tacky and moist, like Danish dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, knead until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Place in a clean bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside in a warm place for an hour.

Pour enough oil into a pot to fill 2 to 3 inches and bring to 375ºF over medium heat. Have paper towels lined up on plates ready for laying out the fried doughnuts.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out one-half the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares.

Gently stretch each square, carefully slip into the hot oil–a few at a time. Cook until beignets are puffy and golden all over, turning often with a slotted spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and dust liberally with powdered sugar while still warm. Repeat with remaining dough.