What is a float? A float is a type of fry bake, simply put, that differs from the normal fry bake we make. The float is made with instant yeast instead of baking powder and because of this it swells when it is frying. It really puffs up like a crapaud (pronounced kra po) belly when it is frying and floating on the oil; probably that's why it was called by that name.
Float: You'd be Surprised as Well
We actually stumbled upon this recipe by mistake. My wife was making fry bake for dinner and decided to use yeast instead of using the usual baking powder; since she wanted the fry bake to come out softer; as you would remember with the coconut bake made with the yeast. To my surprise while frying I noticed how the fry bake puffed up and thought that was a little different than what I was accustomed to, but I still ate it and went to bed still wondering about this puffy fry bake like crapaud belly that we made. By the way for those of you who don't know; a crapaud is our Trini name for a toad.
It was only yesterday that I realized what had happened. While driving home, my friend Ingrid told me what I made was float and not just fry bake made with yeast. Then I remembered my mother telling me that long time they used to make accra and float and the accra was sometimes put inside the float and eaten. Anyhow that's how the story goes, we discovered how to make float by accident and you all got a recipe. Enjoy.
Float Recipe
Ingredients:
3½ cups flour
½ cup wheat flour
2 tbsp. yeast
1 tsp.salt
1½ cups water or slightly more
1 tbsp.sugar
Oil for frying (bake)
Direction:
Sift together the flour, and wheat flour. Add salt, yeast and sugar; mix well.
Add the water all at once, if dough is still dry when mixed, add enough water to make a smooth dough. Allow dough to relax for ½ hour. Notice it is now twice it's original size.
Divide dough into small balls. Roll ball of dough out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thick and round.
Fry in hot oil (do not deep fry), turn once and drain on kitchen paper; notice how it swells. Serve cool. Here we have float with saltfish.
I would recommend trying out the float with accra. Tell me what you think. I have to go now but I'll be back…..
kinda sounds like terminator haha! :^)
Float
Ingredients
- 3½ cups flour
- ½ cup wheat flour
- 2 tbsp. yeast
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1½ cups water or slightly more
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- Oil for frying bake
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, and wheat flour. Add salt, yeast and sugar. Mix well. Add the water all at once, if dough is still dry when mixed, add enough water to make a smooth dough.
- Allow dough to relax for ½ hour. Divide dough into small balls. Roll ball of dough out on a floured board 1/4 inch thick and round.
- Fry in hot oil (do not deep fry), turn once and drain on kitchen paper. Serve cool.
Hi thanks for this but it didn’t work for me. How much oil did you use and should there be more yeast?
Adding some more info. They were flat and didn’t rise at all. Shouldn’t they sit in oil and float to the top. Shouldn’t there be more oil?
Hi Karen,
Contact me http://bit.ly/eUE8Y and explain everything. Let’s see what went wrong.
I know it is more-so a Guyanese recipe, but I’ve been thinking to try making a pepperpot recently and I am accustomed eating it with bread. Would the float go nice with with it?
Perhaps it will…Only one way to find out really 🙂
It worked great for me! Loved it…Thanks!
You’re welcome Carla 🙂
Hi Felix,
It’s my observation that you did not mention warming the water. Since yeast was used in this recipe, warm water works best for activating the yeast to rise within the desired time. From my experience with yeast recipes using room temp water would take longer for the dough to rise. Are you using a different type of dough that doesn’t require warm water to activate it? If so, can you share?
You can use warm water but in our recipe instant yeast was used which doesn’t really require warm water to activate. That being said I always have to remember that in our tropical climate, water at room temperature will always be a little warmer than say the temperate zone. Good observation 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. It came out perfect. Light soft and fluffy. It melted in my mouth.
You’re welcome Cheryl 🙂
I always use your recipe and every time I make the floats it always comes out perfect. Thanks again for sharing
You’re welcome.