In brief
- Chin chin: small squares of fried shortcrust dough, crunchy and flavoured with nutmeg
- Origin: Nigeria
- Essential ingredients: wheat flour, sugar, butter, egg, nutmeg
- A festive snack, served at Christmas and at Nigerian weddings
Origins and cultural history of chin chin
Chin chin is a fried snack originating in Nigeria, associated with the end-of-year festivities and, traditionally, with Nigerian weddings, before the modern small appetiser platters known as small chops took over. The same sweet, fried dough appears under other names in neighbouring countries: atchomon in Togo and Benin, achomo in Ghana, croquette or chin chin in Cameroon.
Cut into small squares or rectangles then fried in oil, chin chin dough is similar to other sweet fried doughs from West and Central Africa, such as Ghanaian bofrot, without having its soft texture or its round, risen shape.
What are the essential ingredients of chin chin
Making chin chin relies on a shortcrust dough, kneaded then cut into small pieces before frying.
- Wheat flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Egg
- Ground nutmeg
- Baking powder
What to know about chin chin
Chin chin is a Nigerian snack of small squares of sweet crumbly dough made with wheat flour, sugar, butter and egg, flavoured with nutmeg and fried until crisp. The dough is cut into small squares or rectangles before being fried in oil. It is eaten as a snack or at celebrations such as Christmas and weddings. Once completely cool, it keeps for several weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature, away from humidity, which would soften it.
Frequently asked questions about chin chin
What is chin chin?
Chin chin is a Nigerian snack made of small pieces of sweet shortcrust dough flavoured with nutmeg, fried until crunchy on the outside. It is eaten as a snack or during celebrations, such as Christmas or weddings.
How should chin chin be stored?
Once fully cooled, chin chin keeps for several weeks in an airtight box, at room temperature and away from humidity, which would soften it.
Where to find the ingredients for chin chin in France?
NKOSI offers the cane sugar and the milk powder for this recipe and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
