Coconut Puff Puff (deep-fried coconut dough)

A newspaper cone filled with soul-satisfying coconut puff puff.

Coconut Puff Puff (deep-fried coconut dough)

A tasty twist on the popular West African fried dough, made even better with coconut milk and flakes. Enjoy them as a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack with tea.

Makes about 2 dozen puff puffs

Course Breakfast

Cuisine African

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 15

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 284kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1 cup (236ml) warm water
2 cups (470ml) coconut milk
½-¾ cup (100-175g) sugar
1-1½ teaspoons (10g) salt
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
4½ cups (540g) flour
1 cup (60g) coconut flakes
oil for frying

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the warm water, coconut milk, sugar, salt, and yeast, and set aside for 5 minutes.
Then, mix in the flour with a wooden spoon or your hands. Follow with the coconut flakes. Mix well until flour and coconut flakes have been fully incorporated.
Set the mixture in a warm area and let it rise until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
In a large saucepan, pour at least 3 inches of vegetable oil (about 5 centimeters). Too little will result in flatter balls. Heat over medium heat until the oil is 375℉ (190℃).
The dough will be sticky, so use your hands to grab a little bit of mixture at a time and drop it in the oil. Or use a spoon to scoop up the batter, and another spoon to drop it in the oil, sort of in the shape of a ball. Fry the puff puff in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown. Then turn the ball over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
Remove the cooked puff puff from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on napkins to soak up the excess oil.
If desired, roll your fried coconut dough balls in table sugar or powdered sugar to decorate them and make them sweeter.

Notes

Rising time depends on the temperature. The warmer it is, the faster your dough will rise.
Feel free to make the dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before frying it.
Adjust the dough texture with a little flour if too thin and a little coconut milk or water if too thick.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.

Nutrition