Add the warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if making this by hand or an electric mixer. Add the yeast and half the sugar then set aside for about 5 minutes or until the top becomes very foamy.

Once the yeast mixture is bubbly, pour in the milk, vanilla, remaining sugar, and add the egg. Whisk together then add 1¾ cups (210g) of flour and whisk together until smooth.

Attach a dough hook, then add the remaining 2 cups (240g) of flour and the salt, and begin mixing on medium speed. Once all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, add the butter, one tablespoon at a time.

Stop to scrape down the bowl once the butter is all mixed in, then keep mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes. (It will not cleanly pull away from the bowl.) This dough is enriched and sticky. You should be able to tap it with your finger and it feels sticky, but doesn’t stick to your finger. If it seems too wet, you can mix in an extra ¼ cup (30g) of flour a little bit at a time until the dough feels right.

Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl then cover and allow to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours. (You can also skip the warm rise, and immediately store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Let the dough sit at room temperature for an hour before you cut and fry it.)

Add about 3 inches of oil to a large pot fitted with a candy thermometer and place over medium-high heat. Cover a wire cooling rack with a few layers of paper towels.

Once risen, roll the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle on a well floured surface. Cut into 2-2½-inch squares using a pizza cutter.

Once the oil reaches 360°F add the beignets 3-4 at a time. Fry until the bottom is puffed and golden, then flip over and fry until the other side is golden. Then remove with a spider or slotted spoon. Place onto the paper towels, then dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!