Beignets are a distinctive part of the New Orleans breakfast, although they’re enjoyed even more as a late-night snack. Our beignet is a square of straightforward dough, fried until it puffs up and becomes golden brown. It’s covered with confectioners’ sugar, placed on a plate with two more of its kind, and sent to the table or counter, where the person who ordered it is already sipping café au lait.

The best beignets have two qualities that rarely come together: They’re doughy enou