Chin Chin

Name: Chin Chin
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: West African
Ingredients: 500g All-purpose Flour; 150g Granulated Sugar; 1 tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 75g Unsalted Butter, cold; 2 large Eggs; 120ml Whole Milk; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1.5 l Vegetable Oil, for deep-frying

Crisp, golden-brown chin chin is a delightful West African snack—small fried bites of lightly sweet, nutmeg-scented dough that are wonderfully crunchy and addictive. These little nuggets are simple to make: a tender, slightly flaky dough is rolled, cut, and deep-fried until perfectly crisp, making them ideal for sharing or packing as a portable treat. Serve them plain or dusted with extra sugar for an irresistible snack.

Crisp, golden-brown chin chin is a delightful West African snack—small fried bites of lightly sweet, nutmeg-scented dough that are... Show more

Traditional West African Recipe

Health Grade

E+ · Indulgent

Rating

4.0

Time

1 hr10 min

Price

0,15 €

Calories

421 kcal

vegetarian

easy

kid friendly

comfort food

Method

Mix the dry ingredients

Whisk together All-purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, and Ground Nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the cold Unsalted Butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs and there are no big butter pieces left.

Add the wet mixture

In a separate bowl, whisk Egg, Whole Milk, and Vanilla Extract until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains; don't overmix.

Knead and rest

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 2 minutes until smooth and easy to shape. Form it into a ball, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes so it relaxes and rolls out more easily. If the dough feels dry, work in a teaspoon of milk; if it sticks, dust lightly with flour.

Roll and cut

Roll the rested dough to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut it into small squares, diamonds, or short strips with a knife. Keep the pieces bite-size so they fry evenly and don't brown too fast on the edges.

Heat and fry

Pour Vegetable Oil into a deep pot to a depth of about 2 inches and heat it over medium until a scrap of dough sizzles immediately and floats to the top. Fry the pieces in small batches for about 3 minutes per batch, stirring gently, until they are pale golden and crisp.

Drain and cool

Scoop the fried pieces out with a slotted spoon and spread them on a paper towel-lined tray. Let them cool completely so they finish crisping as steam escapes.