Firi Firi

Medium·35 min active + 2 hours 25 min resting

Tahitian figure-8 coconut doughnuts: yeasted dough with coconut milk and shredded coconut, shaped into figure-8 rings, fried golden — light, slightly sweet, fragrant with coconut. The Tahitian morning treat sold at every breakfast stand and café.

Egg

Firi firi ('twisted twisted' in Tahitian, referring to the figure-8 shape) is the Tahitian morning doughnut — sold from corner bakeries and roulottes (food trucks) for breakfast with coffee. The figure-8 shape is signature; round versions are not firi firi. The coconut content distinguishes it from European doughnuts.

Bite a warm firi firi — figure-8 shape, golden-crispy outside, soft-pillow-y inside, lightly fragrant with coconut. Sweet but not cloying; the figure-8 twist gives more crispy edges. Sugar coating provides sweet crunch. With strong Tahitian coffee, the morning ritual.

Coconut milk in the dough (instead of regular milk) adds fat and subtle aromatic without overwhelming. Yeast fermentation creates the airy interior. Figure-8 shape maximizes surface-to-volume ratio for more crispy crust. Sugar-rolling while warm allows the sugar to adhere via residual heat.

Variations

Pandan firi firi adds pandan extract — green variant. Chocolate-filled firi firi has chocolate inside. Mini firi firi for parties.

On the Palate

Where Firi Firi sits in the Tahitian flavor cloud

Cook to learn

Give the yeasted coconut-milk dough a full proof, then hold the frying oil at 170°C — a properly risen dough fried at the right temperature is what makes firi firi light and crisp instead of dense or greasy.

Techniques

Deep Frying Kneading

Ingredients

Serves 8

500 gAll-Purpose Flour

500 ml for fryingVegetable Oil

1 tspSalt

How it's made

10 steps · 35 min active + 2 hours 25 min waiting

1
6 min
Activate yeast: 7 g instant yeast + 1 tbsp sugar + 200 ml warm coconut milk. Foam 5 min.
2
12 min
Make dough: combine 500 g flour + 80 g sugar + 1 tsp salt + 1 egg + 50 g grated coconut + 30 g melted butter. Add yeast mixture. Knead 8 min.
3
92 min
Rise covered 90 min until doubled.
Watch out
Let the dough rise until fully doubled — under-proofed dough won't puff light in the oil.
4
11 min
Divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 20-cm rope. Fold each rope in half; twist the two halves together once; press the ends to form a figure-8.
5
32 min
Second rise 30 min on parchment-lined tray.
6
5 min
Heat 5 cm vegetable oil in a wok or deep pot to 170°C.
Watch out
Bring the oil to a steady 170°C — too hot browns the crust before the middle sets.
7
7 min
Fry firi firi in batches (3-4 at a time) 2 min per side until golden-brown.
8
2 min
Drain on paper towels.
9
2 min
While still warm, roll in granulated sugar (or dust with powdered sugar).
Watch out
Roll in sugar while the doughnuts are still warm so it sticks — cold ones shed it.
10
2 min
Serve warm with strong coffee.