Preheat the oven to 350°F

Pour the sugar into a large oven-safe skillet. Spread the sugar to form an even layer and place it in the oven. Roast the sugar for 30 minutes, giving the pan a shake every 10 minutes, until the sugar is pale golden in color. Take the skil.let out of the oven and set aside to cool for at least 1 hour.

While the sugar is cooling, grab another skillet and melt the butter over low heat. Continue to cook the butter until it turns the color of toffee, swirling the pan occasionally. Take the skillet off the heat and, using a fine mesh strainer, strain the butter into a bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

While the butter is cooling, pour the warm water into a large standmixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and add a pinch of the cooled roasted sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.

Add the browned butter, the milk, a 1/4 cup of the roasted sugar and the egg to the yeast mixture. Give the mixture a quick stir. Next, add 2 cups of the flour, the salt and baking powder and set the mixer to a medium-low speed. Mix until the dough is uniform. Start adding the remaining flour in 1/4 cup increments. You might not need the full 2 cups. The dough is ready when it cleans the sides of the bowl and climbs the dough hook.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a well-floured surface. Knead the dough briefly and form into a ball. Place the dough in a bowl greased with a little canola oil and cover with plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm place and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Punch the dough down and place it on a well floured surface. Roll the dough out to a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Cover the dough with plastic wrap until ready to fry.

Place the roasted sugar on a large plate and spread it out to form an even layer. Set aside. Pour the canola oil into a large dutch oven and place over high heat. Using an instant read thermometer, monitor the temperature of the oil. When it reaches 375°F you're ready to fry. Place 3-4 beignets into the oil and fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beignets from the oil and place them on the plate with the sugar. Toss the beignets in the sugar until coated, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Serve immediately with a cup of coffee.