Tiana’s Famous Beignets

2 ¾ cups flour

2 t baking powder

½ t salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

Vegetable oil, for frying

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1/3 cup sugar

½ t baking soda

½ t nutmeg

1/3 cup water

½ t vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine 2 ¾ cups of the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk everything together. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture. Use some of the remaining flour to dust your work surface. Place the dough on it and pat it into a large ½ inch thick square. Dust the top with more flour if it gets sticky. Next, slice the dough into 2 ½ inch squares. Heat two inches of vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan on the stovetop until the temperature reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Check the temperature with a cooking thermometer every so often while cooking. If it gets too hot, temporarily turn the heat down or off. Carefully drop 3 dough squares at a time into the hot oil. Fry them for three minutes, turn them over and continue frying for 3 more minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beignets to a wire rack set on top of paper towels to drain. Dust the beignets with the confectioners’ sugar.