Name: Crunchy Chin Chin
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Africana occidental
Ingredients: 500 g Wheat flour plus a little for dusting; 100 g White sugar; 1 tsp Baking powder; 0.5 tsp Nutmeg freshly grated if possible; 0.5 tsp Salt; 60 g Unsalted butter fried, in cubes; 1 piece Egg large; 120 ml Evaporated milk fried; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 1 l Vegetable oil for frying

Crunchy Chin Chin

In many West African homes, chin chin appears on large trays when there is a party, a visit, or simply a desire to indulge. I’m Amara, and I love it because it's a simple, proud, and very shareable African snack: every family adjusts the sweetness, nutmeg, or cut. This version works because the dough has enough butter to be flavorful, but not so much that it loses its crunch; additionally, it is fried at a controlled temperature to ensure it browns evenly without soaking up oil. The result is firm, aromatic, cheerful bites that disappear while they are still cooling.

Chef tips

If you don't have evaporated milk, use whole milk in the same amount; it will be a bit less creamy but will still be crispy.
Don't over-knead: if you work the dough for too long, the chin chin may become tough instead of brittle.
Keep the oil between 165°C and 175°C; if it's colder it will absorb fat, and if it's too hot it will brown on the outside before drying on the inside.
Store the chin chin cool in an airtight jar for up to 1 week; if it loses crunch, heat it for 5 minutes in the oven at 150°C and let it cool.