South African koeksisters take a long time to make but the taste is worth every minute. Here is a recipe for them.
Koeksisters Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups white sugar
- 2½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 2½cm piece of ginger
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
For the dough
- 4 cups flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk
- 60 ml butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 liter vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Put together all the syrup ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
- Simmer for 10 minutes and cool down.
- Refrigerate overnight to get ice cold.
- Divide into two bowls.
For the koeksisters
- Combine dry ingredients and rub butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Beat the eggs and milk together and add to the dry ingredients.
- Mix with a fork and add water to make a soft dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth.
- Return to the bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or longer.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle of about 0.5cm thick.
- Cut lengthwise into strips about 4cm wide and and 8cm long.
- Keep 1cm at the top of each strip intact and cut into three strips.
- Plait loosely and press the ends together well. Place on a tray and cover with a damp cloth.
- Fry a few together in deep oil at medium heat (approximately 170°C/350°F) for a few minutes on each side.
- Use draining spoon and dunk into one bowl of syrup. Use a different spoon to press them under for half a minute or so.
- When the syrup starts warming up, use the second bowl while cooling the first off in the freezer for a while.
- Place on a rack so excess syrup can drip off while the koeksisters cool down.
Nutrition
Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 98mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 61IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
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