Orange-flavoured Nigerian Buns

 

Nigerian buns are one of the most popular street snacks in Nigeria. Although they look similar to puff‑puff, buns are quite different. They’re made with enriched dough that normally contains eggs, milk, and butter, giving them a crunchy exterior and a soft, tender interior.

My favourite buns recipe includes freshly squeezed orange juice and a little baking soda. The orange juice adds a subtle citrus flavour, while the baking soda helps create buns that are crunchy on the outside but delightfully soft inside Unlike the buns one would likely buy on Nigerian streets, this one isn’t rock hard. If you prefer extra‑hard buns, simply reduce the amount of liquid in the dough to suit your taste.

For my regular buns recipe, whole milk and eggs make up the liquid component. However, when I add orange juice, I first measure how much juice I get from one orange, then subtract that quantity from the quantity of liquid milk I ordinarily will use. I also try to make up for the reduced milk by adding a little powdered milk. Say about 1\4 the quantity of orange juice. For example, if I intend to use 100 ml of orange juice, I add 25 g of powdered milk to the dry ingredients. Since one cannot correctly predict how much juice one can extract from an orange, I have no fixed amount for my recipe. I only have fixed amount of liquid.

To make my favourite buns, below are the ingredients I use and the steps I take in making them.

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 350 g all‑purpose flour
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 50 g butter
• Oil for frying
• 2 medium eggs
• Up to 300 ml milk*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Note: The total liquid (excluding eggs) should be 300 ml, so the amount of milk depends on how much orange juice you use.

Method

1. Melt the butter. I usually do this by microwaving it for about 30 seconds in a covered dish to prevent splashing.
2. Juice a ripe orange and measure the quantity. I got about 80 ml, so I added 20 g of powdered milk to the dry ingredients. 
   

   

   
   
3. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the eggs, orange juice, vanilla extract and milk to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a spatula until combined.
5. Stir in the melted butter until fully incorporated. The batter should be neither thick nor runny; it should fall slowly from the spatula and feel slightly sticky to the touch.
   
   
   
6. Let the batter rest for 10–20 minutes.
7. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. A neutral‑tasting oil works best.
8. Fry the buns over medium heat. Rich doughs tend to foam and absorb oil if the heat is too high, so patience is key. On my stove (settings 1–12), I use level 6. Each batch takes about 6–10 minutes to be ready. 
   
   
   
9. The buns are ready when they turn a beautiful golden brown.
10. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.

 Enjoy your crunchy, melt-in-the-mouth goodness