Description
A traditional South African pastry made of braided dough, fried until golden, and soaked in ice-cold syrup for a unique texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g (2½ cups) white sugar
- 250ml (1 cup) water
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 60g cold butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup cold milk
- 2–3 tablespoons cold water (as needed)
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Make the syrup. Combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, add the lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon stick, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla if using, and leave to cool to room temperature. Pour into a bowl or container, leave the ginger and cinnamon in to infuse, and refrigerate overnight.
- Make the dough. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together into a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Beat the egg with the milk and add to the flour mixture, mixing to form a soft, slightly sticky dough — add cold water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Knead briefly until smooth, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight alongside the syrup.
- Prepare two syrup bowls. Remove the syrup from the fridge and discard the ginger and cinnamon. Divide the syrup between two bowls. Set one bowl over a larger bowl of ice to keep it cold during frying. Keep the other in the fridge until the first is warming up, then swap.
- Shape the koeksisters. Remove the dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to about 5mm thick. Cut into rectangles roughly 8cm x 3cm. Cut each rectangle lengthways into three strips, leaving one short end intact so the strips stay connected. Braid the three strips and pinch the open end firmly to seal.
- Fry. Heat enough oil in a deep pot to submerge the koeksisters — about 3 inches — to 175°C (350°F). Fry in small batches of 3–4, turning once, for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown all over.
- Plunge immediately into cold syrup. The moment the koeksisters come out of the oil, transfer them directly into the ice-cold syrup using a slotted spoon. Let them soak for 1–2 minutes, turning once, until well coated and glistening. Lift out and drain on a wire rack.
- Cool and serve. Allow to cool on the wire rack. Koeksisters are best eaten at room temperature once fully cooled and set.
Notes
Koeksisters can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days, and the flavor improves after a day. They also freeze well once fully cooled.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: South African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg