Tasty Tuesday - Traditional South African koeksusters

Koeksusters (from the Dutch word koekje meaning little cake)are South African syrup-coated doughnuts made in a braided shape. Best eaten cold, they are very sticky and sweet. Although of Cape Malay origin, the Afrikaner version is perhaps better known.

Traditional koeksuster recipe

To buy

Syrup Ingredients

•    4 cups sugar
•    1 1/2 cups water
•    1/2 tsp cream of tartar
•    1/2 tsp ginger ground
•    2 cinnamon sticks
•    1 – 2 tsp glycerine

Koeksuster Ingredients

•    4 cups Flour
•    1/2 tsp salt
•    4 tsp baking powder
•    2 Tbls butter or margarine
•    1 large Egg
•    1 – 1.5 cups milk (or water)
•    Sunflower oil for deep frying
 

To make

Syrup

• Dissolve the sugar in the water
• Add the ginger, cream of tartar and cinnamon
• bring to a boil
• Boil for 5 minutes
• Add one to two teaspoons of glycerine just before removing syrup from heat (for that shiny coating)
• Cool thoroughly
• While dipping koeksusters, place the container of syrup, in a large basin with ice cubes to prevent syrup from becoming to warm

Koeksusters

• Sift the dry ingredients and rub in the butter
• Beat the egg, add the milk/water and mix lightly to a soft dough
• Knead well and leave for 2 hours minimum
• Roll out to 1cm thickness, cut into strips and braid or twist
• Deep fry 5 to 6 koeksusters at a time, for 1 to 2 minutes or until one side is golden brown, turn over with a fork and fry the other side.
• Remove, drain on paper towel and then plunge each one into the cold syrup for a few seconds.
• Drain on a flat plate or platter

This recipe makes about 5-6 dozen koeksusters.

Enjoy with ‘moer koffie*’ or a nice pot of Rooibos tea.

Yum!

*Very strong black coffee made by boiling grounds, often over a fire. Note: The word "moer" is not particularly polite and is associated with a number of 4-letter words. Used in this context however it is not usually offensive!

(Image: ChameleonGreen. Creative Commons License)