Here’s how to make Koeksisters, traditional South African doughnut
This is an absolutely perfect snack that can be eaten as breakfast or during tea time.
Koeksister is a very delicious and crunchy South African doughnut that is completely drenched in syrup, laced with cinnamon, lemon and ginger.
Pronounced as “cook sister”, Koeksister is a very popular doughnut and got its name from the Dutch word “koekje”, which can be interpreted as “cookie”.
Cooking time
2 hrs 30 minutes
Recipe category
Appetizer
Recipe cuisine
Local snack
Cooking method
Frying
Recipe Yield
14 servings
Ingredients
Spicy Syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (half lemon)
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
Dough
1 cup cornflour (100grams)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
25 grams melted butter
Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan. Add, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, ginger, lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Bring water to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, Stirring syrup occasionally. Let it cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients- corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder
- Then all the wet ingredients milk and egg followed by butter. Knead several times until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
- Place dough on board and roll out into about 1 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter or knife cut into strips thin strips and then shorter strips.
- , Divide the dough into three strands and stretch them out carefully until they are of an even thickness all the way down. Pinch the ends together
- Take the left strand and cross it over the middle strand
- Take the right strand and cross it over the middle strand. Tightly pinch to seal the end.
- In a large, sauce pan pour vegetable oil into a pot, until it is at least 3 inches Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by putting a ‘drop’ of batter into the oil. If it is not hot enough, the batter will stay at the bottom of the pot rather than rising to the top. If using a deep fryer, fry at 350 degrees
- Gently place koeksisters in the pan
- Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown.
- Turn the over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
- Use a large spoon or something like that to take it out of the oil and directly place in syrup.
- Leave to soak in the syrup for a while. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before eating.
Your South African Koeksisters are ready! Eat warm.