Chin Chin, a delightful snack that boasts a robust flavor, satisfying crunch, and the perfect balance of sweetness, can be easily prepared using readily available ingredients. This irresistible treat is sure to leave you craving more.
In Nigeria, Chin Chin, a crispy deep-fried snack resembling cookies, was an indispensable part of our Christmas celebrations, embodying the festive spirit.
After numerous trials, I am delighted to provide a detailed guide on preparing this Central and West African snack. Here, you will find all the necessary information to make chin. This snack is one of my favorite African delicacies, along with Puff Puff and Mandazi.
Notes about the ingredients
- For best results, use only plain flour (all purpose flour) for Nigerian Chin Chin. Do not use self-raising flour nor gluten-free flour.
- Peak Milk gives your Nigerian Chin Chin that rich, creamy yet crunchy texture.
- For the classic taste of Nigerian Chin Chin, nutmeg is a must else you will be wondering what is wrong with your Chin Chin when you are done.
- Use only tasteless and odourless vegetable oils such as sunflower oil and the vegetable oils sold in Nigeria when frying Nigerian Chin Chin.
- The eggs are optional, only add them if you want your Chin Chin softer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are multiple reasons to learn how to prepare Chin Chin, regardless of whether you have been consuming it since childhood or not.
Rich in flavor! These are so good, that it requires a bit of discipline to stop eating them.
Makes a great snack! Pair chin with some tea or a chilled drink for an afternoon snack.
Makes a great gift! Chin Chin in a mason jar with a bow wrapped around is the perfect edible gift!
What is Chin Chin?
Chin Chin is a widely enjoyed snack in Central and West African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, and is known as “Les Croquettes” in French.
The ingredients needed to make Chin Chin are quite straightforward: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, baking powder, salt, and a flavoring such as nutmeg or vanilla.
The ingredients blend harmoniously to create the ideal Chin Chin – crisp yet pleasantly chewy. The dough is formed, rolled out, cut into various shapes, and then deep-fried. As they cool, they transform into a delightfully crunchy treat.
What Does Chin Chin Taste Like?
The dessert has a cake-like flavor with a crispy cookie-like texture. The taste may slightly differ based on the added flavors. Freshly grated nutmeg and orange zest can be used to make it exceptionally delicious.
Chin Chin Recipe Step-By-Step
Chin Chin Recipe Step-By-Step
- Sift the flour into a big enough bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar and ground nutmeg and mix.
- Add the margarine in small scoops. Then rub it into the flour till you get a good mix that feels like crumbs.
- If you are using eggs, break and add them now and mix very well with the contents of the bowl.
- Add the peak milk, mix with a spatula. Then knead by hand till a ball of dough is formed. It may feel dry during the mixing but do not be tempted to add more liquid because the liquid you have in the bowl should be enough. You just need a bit of arm power to mix it. But if you really really can’t get it to form a dough, add a tiny quantity of water bit by bit till the dough is formed.
- When done, cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, you will notice that the dough is softer. Knead very well.
- Roll out small bits of dough and cut with a knife or a pizza cutter as shown in the video below. Do not use flour to dust Nigerian Chin Chin because this causes the oil to foam during frying. If you mixed the Chin Chin very well, there will be no need to for dusting while cutting the chin chin.
- Pour a generous quantity of vegetable oil into a deep pot and set your stove to high heat. Chin Chin fries best on high heat.
- As the oil heats up, test the temperature with one piece of raw chin chin. If the oil is hot enough, the piece of chin chin should sizzle and come up to the surface almost immediately.
- Once you confirm that the oil is hot enough, gently collect some chin chin from the side of the mound of diced raw chin chin with both hands and throw into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd them.
- Start stirring immediately with a metallic spoon, shaking the spoon from side to side till all the pieces of Chin Chin come apart.
- After that, keep stirring at intervals till the Chin Chin browns to your liking. Remember, the Chin Chin will go one shade darker when you take them off the oil.
- When happy, scoop into a sieve lined with a paper towel. Then fry the rest of the diced raw chin chin in batches.
- After some time, spread them on a cold hard surface lined with newspapers and paper towels so they can cool down completely.
- When completely cool, store in airtight containers. Place it on your kitchen counter, in the fridge or in the freezer.
How to Cut Nigerian Chin Chin Fast
Variations
Cinnamon Chin Chin: Add cinnamon powder to the chin dough.
Coconut Chin Chin: Use coconut milk instead of evaporated milk and add coconut extract.
Savory Chin Chin: Omit the sugar and instead add garlic and onion powder for a savory delight.
Recipe FAQs
Can I bake Chin Chin instead of frying?
You can certainly bake chin chin. To prevent it from hardening in the oven, I suggest adding more margarine or butter to the recipe.
How Do I Stop The Oil From Foaming When Frying Chin Chin?
Do not overcrowd the frying pan when frying and ensure the oil is hot enough. Fry only a small quantity of Chin Chin at once. Avoid placing a huge quantity of Chin Chin into the pan at once. I have found after years and years of making Chin Chin that overcrowding leads to oil foaming.
What Makes Chin Chin Soft and Crunchy?
The proper proportion of ingredients will produce a chin that is not excessively hard. Avoid estimating the recipe. Follow the instructions as written to achieve the best outcome.
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