The grandmother of beignets and a distant cousin of zeppole, West Africa’s most popular form of fried dough, puff puff, is, as the name suggests, fried pillows of airy dough. On the streets of Lagos in Nigeria, in Cameroon and in Ghana, where this is just as popular, puff puff sellers grab a handful of dough, roll it into a ball, and thrust it into the fryer with one lightning-fast motion. What emerges is rolled in cinnamon sugar, and what you pop into your mouth is like a funnel cake ball crossed with a churro.

　　This dish is best served immediately (but the batter may be made up to 24 hours ahead).

　　

Ingredients

25 to 30 pieces

　　

For the puff puff

6 eggs

　　¾ cup white granulated sugar

　　1 cup whole milk

　　¼ tsp. vanilla bean paste

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1½ tsp. kosher salt

　　1 Tbsp. baking powder

　　½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

　　½ tsp. ground cinnamon

　　Canola oil, for frying

　　

For the cinnamon sugar

3 Tbsp. white granulated sugar

　　2 tsp. ground cinnamon

　　

For the puff puff

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste until well combined and smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture with a silicone spatula until you have a thick, smooth batter. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

　　

Step 2

Fill a medium pot with 3 inches canola oil. Heat over medium heat to 350°F.

　　

For the cinnamon sugar

Step 3

While the oil heats, stir together the cinnamon sugar mixture.

　　

Step 4

Using a #30 (2½ tablespoon) cookie scoop or 2 large spoons, carefully drop a few balls of batter into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot—the balls will puff up as the batter cooks. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip the puff puff and fry for another 3 minutes. They should be evenly and deeply golden brown, smooth, and light.

　　

Step 5

Remove the puff puff from the oil and immediately toss with cinnamon sugar. Serve right away.

　　From My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein. Copyright © 2022 by Kwame Onwuachi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House or Amazon.