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AFROVITALITYEATS

WEST AFRICAN INSPIRED FOOD & PHOTOGRAPHY

Cinnamon Sugar Puff puff with a caramel sauce

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cinnamon sugar puff puff

Puff Puff! A popular street food in most west African Countries. Typically a little sweeter with breakfast and less so with lunch as it is accompanied by different items. Today we are having puff puff with two “non traditional” tweaks because it is entering the dessert corner. Cinnamon sugar puff puff . Right out of the fryer, piping hot they are tossed in some cinnamon sugar. And then right before serving drizzled with some caramel sauce.

ALL YOU NEED

Yeast, flour, sugar, salt and oil for frying.

Use dry active yeast. I store opened yeast jars in the fridge to keep it fresh, or you can use the packets.

All purpose flour is preferred but whole wheat works just fine too.

Make it as sweet as your heart desires. With savory meals, it is best to cut down on the sugar. Let your flavor wheel of fortune turn here. Feel free to add some vanilla extract, allspice, nutmeg. lemon zest, you name it. Here we are keeping it simple and finishing off with some cinnamon sugar and caramel sauce.

puff puff
puff puff
cinnamon puff puff

MAKING PUFF PUFF

Typically I prefer to add my yeast to lukewarm water, before adding the other ingredients. Some will combine all the dry ingredients including the yeast then add water. Either is fine with me.

Then add in your dry ingredients, mix well with hand or whisk. Up till date, my mother NEVER measures anything with puff puff. She feels the consistency with and decides whether to add more flour or not.

Dont worry, we measured here, but I still prefer to feel so I use my hands to mix. After this, set aside to rise for at least 45 minutes in a warm area. We live in Tennessee, I just take my bowl, covered to the back patio.

At the end it should rise to at least double the amount.

FRYING PUFF PUFF

You can use a spoon to scoop the dough and drop in the oil but the hand scoop technique is the way to go. You stay consistent in size and i honestly find it therapeutic. Try not to overcrowd but don’t let it be scanty either. Test the oil with a dough drop, it should rise right away. Some miraculously flip on their own, but you want to flip when its just golden brown.

Drain excess oil on a paper towel.

Light crisp outside, fluffy inside. Delectable!

Enjoy as is or be extra. Toss in some cinnamon sugar and drizzle some caramel sauce.

We could seriously eat these cinnamon sugar puff puff all day but we can’t now can we?! Sinfully delicious. And even though we do not eat puff puff every day, when we do, we go all out no guilt. Hope you enjoy making this as much as we did. And don’t forget to share with us what you’ve been enjoying from the afrovitalityeats kitchen

cinnamon sugar puff puff

Cinnamon Sugar Puff puff with a tamarind caramel sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cameroon, West African

Ingredients
  

Puff Puff

  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 and 1/4 cup of warm water
  • 1/2 Tbsp dry active yeast
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • oil for deep frying

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 tsp corn syrup
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Cinnamon sugar

  • 1/4-1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

Caramel Sauce

  • Add sugar in sauce pot. Then add water and gently swirl until mixed with no dry patches. Try not to get crystals on the sides of the pot. Add in corn syrup and bring to a boil. DO NOT STIR! Once sugar is completely dissolved, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until starts to brown. Watch closely. Once brown enough, remove from heat and add butter. Give sauce put a gentle swirl butter is all melted. Then slowly add in cream. You can set on burner with heat turned off. Sauce will thicken as it cools

Puff Puff

  • Combine cinnamon and granulated sugar in a bowl large enough for tossing. Set aside
  • Combine warm water and yeast in a bowl and stir. In a separate bowl add flour, sugar , salt and stir well. Add into yeast bowl and mix well. Cover with saran wrap and set aside to rise for at least 45 minutes or until double the size.
  • Heat oil in fryer or large frying pan. Test with a dough drop to ensure oil is just right. Then scoop dough with hands or spoon and carefully drop in oil. Fry on each side until golden brown and fully cooked inside. Remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel. Transfer into bowl containing cinnamon sugar and toss several times to coat.
  • Transfer to serving plates. Drizzle with caramel sauce and enjoy