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Puff Puff

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A very popular West African street food that's quick and easy to make with different variations. Dangerously delicious and addicting!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups +1-2 tablespoons (475ml warm water (See notes)
  • 2¼ teaspoon 7g active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 3½ cups 420g flour
  • ½-¾ cup 100-150g sugar
  • ½ tablespoon 8-9g salt
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

  • Mix salt, sugar, water, and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  • Add flour and mix.
  • Let the mixture rise for approximately 1-2 hours.
  • In a large saucepan, pour vegetable oil into a pot until it's at least 3 inches (about 5cm) deep and heat on low. Too little oil will result in flatter balls.
  • Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by putting a drop of batter into the oil. If it is not hot enough, the batter stays at the pot's bottom rather than rising to the top.
  • When the oil is hot enough, grab a little bit of the mixture with your hands or use a spoon to get a small ball of dough. Drop it carefully into the oil.
  • Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown.
  • Turn the ball over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
  • Use a large spoon or something like that to take it out of the oil. I usually place them on napkins immediately to soak up the excess oil.
  • If desired, you can roll the finished product in table sugar or powdered sugar to make it sweeter.

Notes

Soft puff puff: For a softer puff puff, add about 1-2 tablespoons more water. Some people find it a little bit hard after it stays out.
Crunchy, not soggy: Do not overcrowd the frying pan, as the puff puffs will absorb excess oil and sometimes get soggy.
Hold the salt: You may cut back on the salt if you are watching your salt intake. About 1 teaspoon of salt will do.
Preheat the stove: If your house is too cold, turn on the stove for about 2-3 minutes until warm. Then turn it off and let the puff puff rise next to it. Or place your dough in the cold oven and put a pan full of hot water under it. Check after 30 minutes to ensure it’s rising.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.