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Dooney's Favourites How To's

The Dooney’s Kitchen guide to amazing Puff Puff

This is long time coming. I knew there would come a day when I would do this, I was just waiting for the more tips to fall into my lap and to finally test those theories. Puff Puff, where do I start from. This very simple lump of fried dough can reduce a very experienced cook to novice levels in seconds. We have many complex dishes in Nigerian cooking that we pull off effortlessy, and puff puff comes along and you wonder what the heck. When people come up on Facebook, drop comments or send me emails lamenting about Puff Puff, I just tell them don’t worry, it is not you, Puff Puff is notorious, it has off days and on days. If Puff Puff had a sex, it would be a woman for sure, and I am not being sexist. Lol. Anyways, I hope with this post, you can triumph over Puff Puff and kick ass at it.

This guide is a collection of tips that I picked up from 4 amazing women – Kemi, Chinelo, Joke, Big Oladunni, plus bits from me that I have discovered myself over time.

1. I can’t stress this enough, please, please, please use instant yeast or fast acting yeast. The yeast for making bread would just take forever. You want to give your puff puff extra flavour, you can use beer or palm wine. Some say use stout too, a brand like Guiness but make sure you are serving grown ups, or it would have a bitter taste to it.

2. Now, this is veeeeeeeery interesting. This is coming from Kemi Kale. She literally lit a fire under the yeast’s ass, the result was incredible. More incredible to me because I had tried this is an oven before, and didn’t get the result that she did. Both of us concluded that the smaller enclosed space, giving off more intense heat must be responsible. What is this tip you say, Halogen oven.

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Kemi turned the Halogen oven to high for 2 minutes, and turned it off to mix the batter. Seeing that it had gotten cold, she turned it back on to high for 3 minutes, switched it off and then placed the bowl in it. So, I will say total time 4 – 5 minutes to heat up. Fast acting Yeast takes roughly 40 – 45 minutes to properly rise for puff Puff dough, the image you can see below, took less than 20 minutes. It was amazing. Not just the time. Take a good look at that picture and see the very large air pockets. Another tip is don’t leave the dough to rise for too long, otherwise it will have very large air pockets and soak in oil when it fries. If by some chance you forget, sprinkle in a little flour to firm it up.

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You may be reading this and think, why now Dunni, I don’t have a halogen oven. Don’t worry, I don’t have one too but I have figured that a simple pot large enough to take the bowl containing the dough can replicate the halogen oven. All you need is a small enclosed space to trap heat. Just place a some water in the pot, not too much and bring it to a boil. Once the water cools down just slightly so that the plastic bowl will not melt, place the bowl in the pot and cover the pot. Trap the steam and the heat, just walk away. In under 20minutes, your dough should have risen beautifully.

You can try to do this with your oven, good luck to you, it didn’t work for me, the space is too large, besides, you may over heat your oven, thereby killing the yeast. If it works for you, please let me know. Bakers will probably read this with a sharp intake of breath and think Dunniiiiiii you are going to kill the yeast, well as you can see from the image above, quite the contrary. You don’t need a hot environment, just a really warm small enclosure, emphasis on small, to get the yeast going. No more sitting and twiddling your thumbs, waiting for the dough to rise.

3. Dough risen, heat up the oil that you will need, and let it get hot in a pot or deep saucepan. Don’t use a frying pan. You need gravity to assist in the frying, and a frying pan is too shallow and won’t give you that volume that you need. Now, this tip is going to throw away everything you know about not overworking the dough. You are told oh, don’t overwork the gluten particles of the flour yadi yadi yada. To get that amazing crinkled and stretchy, doughy, almost elastic puff puff that street food sellers make, you have to abandon that theory. With bread dough, you flatten out the air and carefully leave to rise again or form into loaf pans. With puff puff, use your hands, a wooden or plastic spoon in a whisking motion as vigorous as you can. It is a noisy process. If you have ever made Ojojo (water yam fritters, recipe click HERE) before, you will know exactly what I mean. Beat, beat, beat, beat the dough, till you can feel it stretch and elasticise, before frying. The dough should also flatten to half its risen size.

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This tip came from our fab dressmaker Chinelo Bally. Visit her website for some amazing fashion and dressmaking tips (www.chinelobally.com). I tell you, the day I saw her do this and tasted it, I knew this was a key golden tip. Kemi used this tip to make this puff puff and the picture in a few steps below prove that it works. Chinelo also advised that before you fry, add a little pinch or two of fast acting yeast, to further puff up the dough while it fries. I haven’t tried this yet, but I believe Kemi’s tip from Number 2 above will trump the need to do this.

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4. The next tip is about frying. To ensure that the oil is hot, fry one puff puff first. The dough should sink in the hot oil and float back to the surface in under 5 – 10 seconds. Any longer, the oil is not hot enough. Leave the lone puff puff in the oil to brown, and then fry just one more again. Once you achieve that 5 – 10 second float, it is time to fry a big batch, but waaaaaaaait a minute. Taste the puff puff for sweetness. Yeast feeds on sugar, and you will find many times that it reduces the strength of the sugar you used to mix the dough. If the first two bits you fried are not as sweet to your liking, just add extra sugar. If you wish, fry one more to check for the sweetness level that you desire.

5. Sugar set to the level you like, whisk for a couple more seconds, then drop the dough in the hot oil and fry a big batch. Frying can be quite annoying, especially when the puff puff is really round, it will keep tipping over, browning one side too much. You know how to prevent this, remember the street food sellers, come on, recall that memory. Okay, let me help you. They fry in large batches to fill the circumference of the pot. Volume keeps the puff puff in place. It displaces the oil something something (I barely managed to pass Physics, so pardon me), so when you flip over, it stays flipped. Let me show you a picture of what the beating and beating of the dough will give you.

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Tah Dah….. see that signature crinkling when you press it down slightly? It will also crackle a little, just a little. Barely audible but you will notice it. My face was beaming when I saw this. It was too early on Sunday morning to call Chinelo, but you bet I was tempted to call her and scream GIRL!!!!!! IT WORKED.

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Tear into it, and you will feel a little give, a little elasticity.

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Examine the inside of the puff puff, and you can see that it is not oily, but bready. See all the holes it has? Put it into your mouth and savour the chewy delicious goodness. People, that is a perfect Puff Puff. Just as the street sellers and experienced caterers who serve it as small chops at 9ja parties.

IMG_1040_watermarked

Sieve out the entire batch from the oil and fry more. One more thing I want you to take note off. See how the skin is glistening and not matte? Sorry, I am using makeup lingua but any woman who knows her makeup will know exactly what I am talking about.

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6. Now that you are frying another batch, it is important to give you one helpful tip from Big Oladunni. Heat. Too much heat will ruin your puff puff. What my mother did was this. As soon as you start to notice that the puff puff is browning too fast, take out the source of heat. If you are using a gas cooker, simply switch it off. If you are using an electric cooker, take the pot off the heating element, and let residual heat fry the puff puff. Many times I have fried an entire batch of puff puff with the heat source off. You will know it is time to re-introduce the heat source when you notice that the dough is either taking too long to float back up, or it is taking much longer than the last fried batch to brown. As soon as you notice this, quickly put it back on the heat, otherwise the dough will soak in too much oil, which is disgusting.

IMG_1045_watermarked

If you still somehow become a victim off too much heat and your puff puff is raw in the middle. Not to worry. Don’t make the mistake of returning it back to the hot oil, this will do nothing but brown the outside too much while the inside cooks. Simple solution to this courtesy Joke Ajibola. Microwave people, microwave. Pop it into the microwave for about a minute or under and voila, insides cooked. Simple.

7. So, you have fried and fried many batches, and smiles abound all over the house, everybody is full to bursting and you are wondering what to do with the leftover dough.

IMG_1056_watermarked

Just place in the fridge and leave it there overnight. The cold air in the fridge will stop the yeast from acting further, leaving it suspended in like some alternative reality a la Tom Cruise movies. Loooooool. If you leave it anywhere else but a cold environment, the yeast will just go on acting on the sugar, transforming it to alcohol and your puff puff dough will smell like a drunken night out, and will taste foul. Save yourself the disappointment and refridgerate it. When you need it again, bring it out and let it come back to room temperature on its own. This is what I have always done. If I had to fry all the puff puff dough I have ever made at once, I will be fat by now. Loooool. But in light of kemi’s new tip, I think I will advise that you repeat Tip 2 above to wake up the yeast again. Chinelo’s tip might be helpful here i.e. sprinkle in a little yeast, just a little before you fry.

IMG_1057_watermarked

I believe with all these tips, you will recreate the perfect Puff Puff the next time you attempt it. My recipe for the Puff Puff dough can be found HERE. I Will be looking forward to reading your triumphant feedback. As for getting that perfect shape, Kemi uses two spoons, I use my hands, and drop it in the hot oil using my thumb and index finger, or my thumb, index and middle finger. I really couldn’t care that much about the shape to be honest. I like the chewy tentactle like bits protuding out. Looool

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………………………..Viva la Puff Puff

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Try out my tips for yourself and the family this weekend. Prepare for the best puff puff you have ever made


45 Comments

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FILED UNDER: Dooney's Favourites, How To's
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About Dooney

Dooney is the blogger, recipe developer and photographer for Dooney's Kitchen. I spend my days trying to figure out creative ways to redefine Nigerian food, either by creating a new dish itself using ingredients in ways that have never been used before, or changing the approach to Nigerian cooking using kitchen gadgets.

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Comments

  1. AvatarTottie says

    May 30, 2014 at 4:43 pm

    Dooney…your pictures alone are yummy but why do you fry in a deep pot? By the way the link to ojojo didnt open or maybe its my network here. Please help post it here under m y comment.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      May 30, 2014 at 5:11 pm

      Thank you Tottie. Puff puff is deep fried. Using a pot allows gravity assist in the frying and forming of the shape, compared with a frying pan that is shallow. Here is the link to Ojojo http://www.dooneyskitchen.com/2013/10/25/ojojo-water-yam-fritters/

      Reply
  2. AvatarOmolabake says

    May 30, 2014 at 6:40 pm

    You nailed the tips Dunni. Another thing I’ve found is that, anytime I -in my bid to make the puff puff a bit more nutritious- add egg, it takes 3 times the time to get the the dough to raise and I end up not getting the elasticity street puff puff is known for. But once I leave it out we are good.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:02 pm

      Ooooh, eggs. Won’t it have an eggy smell?

      Reply
  3. Avatarronnie says

    May 30, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    Lolz. Downey, do u know I actually use the heat method. What I do is use very warm water to mix the dough apart from that used in mixing the yeast. And then I put the bowl that has the puff puff mixture into another bigger bowl of boiling water. B4 I knw it the dough is hot and I place into the microwave to rise. I do the same for my dougnut dough too. Under 30 mins it have risen. In addition, am an adherent reader of ur blog. I am now a perfect cook of ur ayamase stew (made it more times than I can count, infact I have tried almost all ur recipes So start rolling out new ones o) and I make Chapman like no man business, so much that I have even coined out my own recipe using only the blackcurrant, Grenadine syrup and angostra bitter when i dont have the other drinks at home. And ur stir fry recipes, my God I make them easily infact when I have visitors na to enter kitchen stir fry something o, either with chicken or meat. Infact every saturday or public holiday my husband and kids ask “mummy, oya look thru ur phone, what catering practical are we cooking today. God bless u richly.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:03 pm

      Aaaaaaw, thanks Ronnie. Keep trying out recipes. More are on the way

      Reply
  4. AvatarSeun says

    May 30, 2014 at 7:04 pm

    Hi Dooney. Thanks for the tips especially the 20 minute- dough rise. It used to take me at least 40minutes to get the dough to rise, then add another 15 mins frying time, by then I’m usually so hungry I eat them while standing and frying! I do like your descriptive terms…..”chewy tentacle like bits protruding out”. Those tentacles sometimes have tips packed full with crunchy goodness!

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:02 pm

      Tell me about those tentacles. The best bits. I hope you try out the heating tip and please let me know

      Reply
  5. Avatartima says

    May 30, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    Thanks dunni. But I don’t have any yeast. Does baking powder do the same thing? How much if so?. Thanx

    Reply
    • Avatartima says

      May 30, 2014 at 7:08 pm

      Also would adding a bit of lemon flavour or juice affect d process? I like lemon.

      Reply
      • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

        June 2, 2014 at 2:01 pm

        I think it would. If you want lemon flavour, use the zest of lemon instead.

        Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:01 pm

      Baking powder will give you Buns and not puff puff. Sorry

      Reply
  6. Avatarnubianwaters says

    May 30, 2014 at 7:14 pm

    This is unbelievable!

    Just a moment ago, my preggy friend and I were discussing how we needed to up our puff puff game. I hit the famous FB goodie group but accessing the files section on there from my mobile got daunting so I hit your blog. Lo and behold, fresh post on puff puff. ..yipee!

    Thanks…you are a star!

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:00 pm

      You are welcome. I hope your next batch will be amazing

      Reply
  7. AvatarKemms says

    May 30, 2014 at 7:34 pm

    You are so right with the sugar tip! Many a time I have asked myself what happened to all the sugar I added to my puff puff and I have even resorted to sprinkling sugar on it once it’s done to get it to the level of sweetness I want. Makes sense now that yeast is the culprit. Will try my hands on puff puff this weekend with your new tips and let u know how it goes.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      May 30, 2014 at 10:55 pm

      Ah yeast, very sugar defeating ingredient. Please do and let me know how it goes

      Reply
  8. AvatarPrecious says

    May 30, 2014 at 10:28 pm

    I’m still LMHO at “but waaaaaaait a minute”.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      May 30, 2014 at 10:48 pm

      Loooool

      Reply
  9. AvatarAda says

    May 31, 2014 at 6:54 am

    Finally the secret ingredient … Beat beat beat …. Lol

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 1:54 pm

      Yes o Ada. beat, beat, beat

      Reply
  10. AvatarLola Ashiru says

    May 31, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    Dooney the trick I have adopted with leaving things to rise in the oven is I turn on my inner oven light. So this way the oven is not hot but that light bulb that is turned on is releasing heat to help it rise faster. Maybe you can try it out if your oven has that light.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 1:53 pm

      Oh wow. Thanks for the tip Lola

      Reply
  11. Avataradeolaakintoye says

    May 31, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    Love your blogs Dunni. I bless God for his gift I your life. I will be trying out the puff puff… I never did crack it.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 1:52 pm

      Thank you Adeola. You truly will crack it. Please let me know how it goes

      Reply
  12. Avatarlere says

    May 31, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    nice will definitely try this, was wondering with bread, I just stick the dough in the microwave without turning it on, will that work?

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 1:52 pm

      It would only provide a warm place, but to truly kick start the dough, you have to place it in an already heated environment

      Reply
  13. AvatarBoma says

    June 2, 2014 at 10:34 am

    i looooooove the way u write.. i recommend your blog to whoever cares to listen (and those who don’t care too ;)!) well done

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 2, 2014 at 1:12 pm

      Thank you very much Boma for the recommendations.

      Reply
  14. Avatartima says

    June 3, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    Oh!! Thanx I’ll get yeast then.

    Reply
  15. AvatarAdeola says

    June 5, 2014 at 11:24 am

    As you said, the puff puff was kick ass! The best I’ve ever made. In fact, I had some overripe bananas which I blended and added to the mix, whilst adjusting the flour. As we speak, the bowl is empty!! Thank you.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:49 pm

      Blended bananas in puff puff. You go girl. Happy to help

      Reply
  16. Avatarmufu says

    June 8, 2014 at 9:18 am

    Hi Donney

    please could you explain the “”putting fire under the yeast ass” process with pictures.

    is it just the yeast or the batter mix?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:50 pm

      Hi Mufu, it just means, placing the puff puff batter in an already pre heated environment, making the yeast act much faster

      Reply
  17. AvatarKemi K. says

    June 17, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    yessssss! This process is the truth thanks for this tip. I wished I could upload pics. I to do not have a halogen oven so after mixing the ingredients (in it’s container) I put it in a large pot of warm water. I actually let it sit for about 40 minutes while I made some giz-dodo. I was actually super shocked when I opened the mixture because it rose beautifully.

    And using nutmeg and vanilla are great enhancers of taste. I feel that this is what makes great puff puff stand out from the rest.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 18, 2014 at 2:44 pm

      Aaaaaw, wonderful news Kemi, Lovely to read

      Reply
  18. AvatarMom of 2 says

    September 26, 2014 at 2:30 pm

    Hi dooney you are God sent. stumbled on your blog. using ur recipe, i made the yummiest puff puff ever, and it was my first attempt. even my son gave me a big thank you kiss. I actually dont mind waiting the 40mins for the dough to rise. My tip is i preheat the oven say about 15 mins before, and then Turn it off and put the dough in and let the residual heat do its thing. my puff had the nice elasticity. thank you girl, and i realised you are my neighbour in essex. hopefully one day we meet. keep on blogging and well done.

    Reply
  19. AvatarDocteurdee says

    September 26, 2014 at 9:47 pm

    We all know yeast does its best work with warmth,but recently,i discovered even in the fridge it rises,what do you think of this? I was literally freaked out when my friend brought her dough out from d fridge risen.So about the left over dough…since yeast has decided to upgrade(lol),what do we do?

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      September 29, 2014 at 11:39 am

      Oh wow. That is strange

      Reply
  20. AvatarHelen says

    December 10, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    Hi Dunni! I love your blog. I wanted to find out what gadget you use to mix the dough for the puff puff and agege bread.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      December 17, 2014 at 1:05 am

      Hi Helen, I used my hands

      Reply
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