Introduction
Shortcake Mandazi
By: Rogers Balamaga
Do you know I legit had to google a name for these things? I know
they aren’t exactly mandazi, I am also aware they aren’t doughnuts
because they aren’t round and have no hole in the middle. Someone told me they are called beignets; but I refused, that name sounds too fancy for a “drogba”; which is what I have always called them from way back in high school. They went by different names then; people calling them names like “muno mukabi, bunduguza, defender, and many more names like that. There was just no way a buludozer was going to be renamed as a beignet. Below is a recipe I used to make these, feel free to copy and try it out yourself.

Servings
12
Ready In:
1hr 45min
Calories:
300
Good For:
Snack
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.
- 3/4- 1 cup sugar, or less, depending on how sweet you like yours.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (not baking soda).
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder.
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom.
- 1/4 teaspoon egg-yellow food colouring (optional).
- 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- 1 large egg at room temperature, slightly beaten.
- 1 cup milk.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter.
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying.


Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
In a mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients-flour, baking
powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, lemon zest, food colouring and salt.
Step 2
Add the butter into the mixing bowl, combining it with your
fingers until you achieve a fine crumb.
Step 3
Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Step 4
Add the milk, a little at a time and mix well until everything in the bowl is well combined. The dough should be soft and pliable, but should not stick to your clean hands.
Step 5
Form the dough into a ball, place in a container with a lid and cover. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
Step 6
After 30 minutes, place the dough on a lightly floured working surface and shape it into a disc. Then lightly flour your rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
Step 7
Use the rolling pin to spread the disc to a sheet of dough of about 1/4-inch thickness then using a knife, cut out shapes on the
sheet of dough. Place these cut-out shapes on the floured baking sheet. Gather the scraps of dough into a ball and re-roll and cut shapes out of this. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Step 8
Heat your oil to medium-high heat. You don’t want it too hot because you want your mandazi to cook evenly, not a scenario where the outside of your mandazi cooks well while the inside is not ready. On
the other hand, if your oil is not hot enough, the mandazi will absorb a lot of oil as they will sit at the bottom of the pan for too long before rising.
Step 9
Once you have confirmed that your oil is ready, gently drop the shaped dough into the pan one at a time without overcrowding the pan.
Step 10
At the right temperature, your mandazis should cook for at least 4 minutes on each side and you will know they are ready when
they have a nice golden brown colour. At this point, you can transfer them to the lines colander to drain excess oil, then serve warm.
Yoooo.Ur website is legit…Can’t wait to try out ur mandazi recipe😎😎