Pumpkin Drop Doughnuts (Nigerian Puff Puff)

Servings: 25 pieces

Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (typically 1 sachet)
1/2 tsp dry cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Pumpkin Spice Sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Start by activating the yeast: In a bowl, dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup 110°F-115°F water. Add in the yeast and stir until it is completely dissolved. Let this mixture stand for 5-10 minutes until yeast begins to foam.

While the yeast is activating, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, dry cayenne pepper, freshly grated nutmeg and salt.

Once the yeast has activated, pour in the yeast and water mixture with the pureed pumpkin into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix in the wet and the dry ingredients together until the mixture resembles cake batter. Add in more water a little at a time if necessary to adjust the consistency of the batter. In my case, I added in 3/4 cup of additional water to get the consistency just right.

Cover the mixture with and set aside allowing it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Once the puff puff mixture has risen to double its original size, heat up oil for deep frying up to about 350-355F.

Using an ice cream scoop, or your hands if you are so skilled, drop the batter into the hot oil without overcrowding the pan. For perfect puff puff cooking, keep your heat at about medium- low. This will ensure the oil will not get too hot and bun the outside of your puff puff while keeping the middle raw. The puff puff should float to the top of the oil a few seconds after it is dropped into the oil, if it doesn't, the oil is not hot enough

Once one side of the donuts are lightly browned, turn and continue to fry until the donuts are done. The whole frying process for each batch took about 5 minutes.

Serve the puff puff warm just as it is or to kick up the pumpkin spic flavor, sprinkle with some pumpkin spice sugar. To cake the pumpkin spice sugar simply whisk together 1/4 cup powdered sugar with 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.