How to Make Deep Fried Egg Puffs

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Deep fried egg puffs are a type of sweet donut. They are made with an egg dough that is fried and then sprinkled with granulated sugar. Absolutely the best version of this dish is made at Shanghai Dumpling King in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood.

Done right, these egg puffs come out of the fryer light and airy, with steam bursting from the inner cavities as you break them open with your fingers. As you make your dough, you want to end up with a consistency that’s like really thick waffle batter. If the batter is too thin, the puffs won’t expand the right way in the deep fryer.

Eat your eggy masterpieces immediately once they’re out of the deep fryer! Like so many good deep fried things, these egg puffs don’t keep well.

Can you share any expert tips from your experience making deep fried egg puffs? Want to ask a question before you try making it yourself? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Deep Fried Egg Puffs Recipe

Makes: 16 | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Adapted From: Asian Dumpling Tips

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, lard, or shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten
Canola oil, for deep frying
4 tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Put the butter, salt, sugar, and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Heat the butter, water and seasonings until the butter has melted and the water begins to bubble at the edge of the pot. Remove from the heat. Immediately pour in the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until well blended. Replace the pot on the burner (don’t turn on the heat) and stir vigorously until a ball of dough comes together, cleans the walls of the pan, and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.

2. Transfer the dough to a new clean bowl. If the dough is still hot, stir for 15 to 30 seconds to cool it. Pour in 1/4 of the eggs, then stir vigorously (it will seem like things aren’t coming together well at first) until all the egg has been incorporated. Repeat until all the eggs have been worked into the dough, and the dough has been transformed into a thick, smooth batter.

3. Pour oil into a pot to a depth of 1 1/4 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to between 325 and 340 degrees.

4. Fry the puffs in 2 batches. Use two tablespoons to scoop up about 2 tablespoons of batter and move it into the oil. Fry for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently, until the puffs have expanded to about 3 times their original size and turned crisp and golden brown. You should have 8 puffs frying for each batch. Drain, dredge in sugar and serve immediately while warm.

HT: Photo by ewwiccc.