Puff Puff (Cameroonian Beignets)
Puff puff, aka soft, golden fried doughnuts with a hint of nutmeg, hold a very special place in my heart. Being half Nigerian and half Cameroonian, I grew up knowing them by two different names: puff puff in Nigeria and beignets in Cameroon. The main difference, at least in my experience, is how they’re served. Puff puff is usually enjoyed as a snack on its own and is a staple at parties, family gatherings and even after church. Beignets are also eaten as a snack but are more commonly served alongside stewed beans (beignet haricots), making them more of a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus proving
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 7g active dried yeast
- 320ml warm water (around 43°C)
- 100g white granulated or caster sugar
- 400g plain flour
- 6g fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), for deep frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the active dried yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Leave to stand for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. At the very least, the mixture should look frothy. If nothing happens, your yeast is no longer active and you’ll need to start again with a fresh packet.
- Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg. Using a rubber spatula, wooden spoon or your hand (if you’d like to do it the traditional way), mix until a smooth, thick batter forms. It should be soft, sticky and stretchy.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and leave somewhere warm until the batter has doubled in size. This can take as little as 45 minutes on a hot day or up to 2 hours on a colder one.
- Fill a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy-based saucepan halfway with vegetable oil and heat it to 170°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. It should sizzle immediately and float to the surface within a few seconds.
- The trickiest part of this recipe isn’t frying the puff puff – it’s shaping the very soft batter. The traditional method is to wet one hand, scoop up some batter and squeeze it through your thumb and forefinger directly into the hot oil to form small, ping-pong-sized balls.
- If that feels a little daunting, a small cookie scoop works brilliantly too. Dip the scoop into the hot oil first, then scoop up the batter and carefully lower it as close to the oil as possible before releasing it. Work in batches, filling the pot without overcrowding it.
- Whichever method you use, don’t worry if your puff puff aren’t perfectly round. Mine certainly aren’t! They’ll still taste just as delicious.
- Fry the puff puff for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning them occasionally with a slotted spoon or tongs, until they’re evenly golden brown. Keep an eye on the oil temperature throughout. If it gets too hot, the outsides will brown before the centres have cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked puff puff to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
- Serve warm, either as they are or with an extra sprinkle of sugar.
Notes
Check your yeast before you begin. If the yeast doesn’t become foamy or at least frothy after 5 to 10 minutes, it’s no longer active and the batter won’t rise properly.
The batter should be sticky. It will be much softer than bread dough, so resist the temptation to add extra flour.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Frying in batches helps the puff puff cook evenly and prevents the oil temperature from dropping too much.
They’re best served fresh. Puff puff are at their absolute best while still warm, when the outside is lightly crisp and the inside is soft and fluffy.
Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/puff-puff-cameroonian-beignets/