In honor of the World Cup matches taking place in Atlanta, we’re sharing recipes representing some of the countries playing in the tournament in June and July.

This week, Ike’s Cafe & Grill shared its recipe for bofrot, or puff-puff, a popular West African dessert. Bofrot is a street dessert similar to a doughnut. Historians believe it’s closely related to the beignet and likely came to West Africa through colonization.

Bofrot is popular throughout the African continent, but it’s beloved in West African countries like Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal. All three countries are also competing in this year’s World Cup. And it’s quite common in D.R. Congo, where it’s called “mikate,” and South Africa, where it’s called “magwinya.” Both countries will play in Atlanta this month.

Bofrot doesn’t require many ingredients, but it’s tantamount not to use substitutes in the recipe, especially when it comes to the active dry yeast and evaporated milk. Just remember that if your yeast isn’t bubbling, it’s expired and time to replace with new yeast. Yeast generally lasts up to a year at room temperature, and up to 10 years in the freezer, but test it if you can’t remember when you last purchased your yeast.

Make sure to have a kitchen thermometeron hand. An instant-read thermometer works well, but you can also use a candy or deep-fry thermometer, which has more heat tolerance and shows a higher temperature range.

Related stories:
• World Cup recipe: South African peri-peri chicken wings from Daily Chew
• More recipes from Rough Draft Atlanta
• More World Cup coverage

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water (110°F)
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk (Carnation or Peak brand)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 cups neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, for frying
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Activate the yeast: Combine warm water and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Stir in a pinch of granulated sugar and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy and active. (If your yeast doesn’t foam, it may be expired. Start with a fresh packet.)
2. Make the dough: Whisk all-purpose flour, remaining granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
3. Make a well in the center and add the active yeast mixture, evaporated milk, and egg. Mix until a soft, sticky dough forms. Dough should hold together without being stiff.
4. Let it rest: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until roughly doubled in size.
5. Prep the oil: Heat oil to 350°F in a deep pot or Dutch oven. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature throughout frying.
6. Fry the dough: Using a wet tablespoon or wet hands, scoop and drop golf ball-sized portions of dough into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
7. Fry in batches of 4 to 6. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden brown all around.
8. Finish and serve: Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
9. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm.