Coconut Puff Puff Recipe

For coconut and snack lovers out there, you need to try one of the best African snacks, the Coconut Puff Puff!

Coconut Puff Puff is a popular street food or snack in Africa. It is a type of deep-fried batter that turns into something light, fluffy, and airy with a crispy and golden brown crust.

It tastes so pleasant that you won’t be able to get enough of them. The best part is that it’s easy to cook and so much fun to enjoy. I’m sure your whole family will enjoy it.

Whenever you’re craving a sweet, filling, and exciting snack, look no further because all you need is Coconut Puff Puff. And you’ll learn how to cook it and more right here, right now!

How to Make Coconut Puff Puff

Despite its incredible quality, Coconut Puff Puff is actually easy and quick to make. Once you know how to make the batter properly, all you have to do is deep fry until done.

Get ready to make the perfect snack that everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients 

What ingredients do you need to make Coconut Puff Puff?

Desiccated coconut 

It won’t be a Coconut Puff Puff without desiccated coconut.

A desiccated coconut is a form of dried and shredded coconut meat. You can make it by removing the moisture from the coconuts, giving it a dry texture.

As you extract the coconut meat, you need to grate and dry it to get dedicated coconut. Did you know that you can make your own desiccated coconut at home?

From fresh coconuts, you can dry the coconut meat to store for a long time. It also has a subtle sweet flavor with a hint of nutty and warm taste.

There are two types of desiccated coconut: sweetened and unsweetened. Both are good options to use for your Coconut Puff Puff.

I often use desiccated coconut to give Coconut Cake and Coconut Buns the best flavor and quality. It also adds a fragrant aroma that will remind you of a fun summer vacation!

Flour 

Every Puff Puff batter starts with flour.

With its gluten network, it forms the crust and crumbs of the dish. The flour will react with the active dry yeast to make a thick batter that can hold its shape as it cooks.

There are many deep fry recipes you can make with plain flour. You can use it to cook Chicken Bites, Ghanian Bofrot, and Chin Chin to get the best results!

Active dry yeast 

Make it a real Puff Puff recipe with active dry yeast to make them extra fluffy and soft. Indeed, it is a powerful leavening agent for puff pastry recipes to cook at home.

I used this in my Air Fryer Bread recipe, and it really made the bread airy and soft. Try it out with the Coconut Puff Puff recipe to see how well it works!

Coconut water 

Intensify the nutty and sweet flavor of the Coconut Puff Puff with coconut water in the batter. It adds moisture to the batter to keep the dish moist and tender inside.

The coconut water also activates the dry ingredients for a good texture from the inside out. You can also use it to make Coconut Milk for more of your coconut-flavored recipes!

Seasoning 

The Coconut Puff Puff will surely taste better with a little bit of seasoning. I suggest using sugar, nutmeg, and sea salt for the right balance of flavor.

These seasonings can improve the sweet and nutty flavors of the dish for a richer taste and quality.

Coconut oil 

Just when you think you can never get enough of the sweet and nutty flavor, fry the puff puff in coconut oil. It also adds an awesome taste and aroma to the dish.

You can also trust that its high smoke point can cook the dish well without losing much moisture.

Once you have these, it will be easy to make Coconut Puff Puff. You and your loved ones will enjoy every piece of it! 

Directions

Let’s try the Coconut Puff Puff recipe for a fun experience!

1. Mix water, active dry yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Cover it with a lid and set it aside to activate. 
3. Then, mix the flour, sugar, nutmeg, sea salt, and desiccated coconut in a bowl.
4. Add the activated yeast, warm water, and coconut water in the middle.
5. Add water to fold the mixture until you get a thick texture.
6. Cover it with cling film and cloth to set aside for at least 45 minutes.
7. Heat coconut oil in a deep frying pan over medium-low heat.
8. Use an ice cream scooper to drop the batter in the oil.
9. Turn them over with a skewer to cook both sides.
10. Fry until they are golden brown and transfer to a lined plate.
11. Finally, top it with desiccated coconut, and serve! 

Congratulations, you just made some delicious Coconut Puff Puff! What does it taste like? Don’t forget to share your thoughts and experiences!

Tips

Making Desiccated Coconut

There are desiccated coconuts you can buy in stores. However, if you have leftover coconuts, you can make desiccated coconuts at home too.

You just need to open the coconut, grate it, and let it dry!

Storing Coconut Puff Puff Batter

If you want to set aside some batter for future use, then transfer it into resealable bags or airtight containers to refrigerate and use within three days.

Otherwise, place the batter in a bowl and cover it with cling film and a kitchen towel. You can also freeze it in freezer bags for several weeks.

Once ready to use, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. 

Coconut Puff Puff Variations

What else can you do to upgrade the Coconut Puff Puff recipe?

You can season the batter with some chocolate powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon to complement the desiccated coconuts. For a milky flavor, you can add in coconut milk and almond milk.

If you don’t have active dry yeast, then you can use self-rising flour for a mix of flour and baking powder. Other than coconut oil, you can deep fry the dish in other oil with smoke points, too.

More Coconut Recipes

• Coconut Chips – here’s another coconut snack you should try.
• Coconut Water – make use of the water from the fresh coconut.
• Coconut Fried Rice – who knew that rice would taste even better with coconuts?
• Coconut Cake – transform your coconut into a dessert.
• Coconut Buns – infuse your buns with a touch of coconuts.

Recommended Tools

• Deep frying pan: Deep fry the puff puffs in a pan.
• Glass bowls: Prepare the dry ingredients and the batter in glass bowls.
• Scooper: Use a scooper to cook an appropriate amount of batter.
• Skewer: Turn the puff puffs in the oil using a skewer
• Strainer skimmer: Drain the oil by moving the dish with a strainer skimmer.
• Cling film and kitchen towel: Cover the batter to rise.

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How to Serve Coconut Puff Puff

How do you plan on enjoying the Coconut Puff Puff?

While usually served as snacks, you can also enjoy Coconut Puff Puff as a breakfast meal or side dish. It will surely go perfectly well with sweet, savory, and nutty dishes and drinks.

There are also dips and sauces that can give you a better experience. For instance, you can also go for chocolate, peanut butter, and other condiments.

Make it more appetizing by topping it with powdered sugar, coconut flakes, or desiccated coconut when you serve it. It’s certainly one of the best dishes to serve for kids and adults to enjoy!

Here are excellent dishes and drinks you will love with Coconut Puff Puff:

• Coconut Water – you won’t be able to get enough of the coconut flavors.
• Fruit Smoothie – enjoy fruity goodness at every bite and sip.
• Iced Coffee – have some breakfast with coffee and puff puff.
• Fruit Salad – serve the puff puff as a side dish to your salad.

Storage Tips

At room temperature: Put the coconut puff puffs in a container to store at room temperature for several hours. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes puff soft?

In this recipe, the active dry yeast plays an important part in keeping the Coconut Puff Puff soft. It also leaves the batter to allow it to expand to make the crumbs light, airy, and puffy.

How do you preserve puff puff mixture?

You can freeze the puff puff mixture for about a month. Don’t forget to leave some space in the resealable bag to let the batter expand as it freezes.

How to make puff puff?

In making Puff Puff, all you have to do is to make the perfect batter and deep fry it properly. Also, remember to add the leavening agent, like active dry yeast, to really give it a puffy quality.

When deep frying, check if the oil sizzles as you drop the batter in. Use oil with a high smoke point to keep the puff puff crisp outside and soft inside.

Can you boil coconut flakes?

Yes, you can boil coconut flakes, especially if you plan on making Coconut Milk. It will also infuse the water with flavor and texture for a sweet and nutty flavor and a thick and creamy texture.