Let’s celebrate Mardi Gras, the French for “Fat Tuesday”. Mardi Gras is the last day to use up your eggs, milk and butter (and indeed any other rich food) which you can’t use during the fast of Lent. So French families bake deep-fried “French doughnuts” to spoil the children after school! These yummy specialities have different shapes and textures according to the region where they are made. 

It was difficult to choose just one recipe, but we decided to share with you the most famous one from Lyon, the French gastronomic capital! So put on your apron, roll up your sleeves and get ready to bake!

Ingredients:
Makes 60 “bugnes” (French doughnuts)

– Plain flour 400g

– Sugar 50g

– Baking powder 11g

– Salt 1g

– Zest of 1 lemon 

– Butter 100g

– 4 eggs

– Sunflower oil 2 litres

Method:

–       Mix the plain flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the butter and the eggs (one at a time).

–       Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured surface and gently knead the dough for a few minutes until it has come together. Refrigerate for about one hour.

–       Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1mm (as thin as you can). Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. 

–       Cut and shape the “bugnes” into rhombus shapes (like tilted squares or the diamond shape on playing cards). Now cut a small window into the middle of the rhombus.

–       Fill a large pan with approximately 2 litres of sunflower oil. Fry the “bugnes” at 170-180 degrees Celsius. 

–       To serve, cover them with sugar and go ahead and enjoy these delicious Mardi Gras pastries! 

And if you would rather have “crêpes” for Fat Tuesday, check our French recipe! 

Bon appétit ! ?