Traditional Afrikaans Koeksisters

Koeksisters are a traditional Afrikaans treat – a crisp, sticky, sugary, deep fried braided donut soaked in syrup!  They are so more-ish, but if you don’t finish them in one go you can refrigerate them.

Traditional Afrikaans Koeksisters

Ingredients:

Koeksisters:

4 cups cake flour

2.5ml salt

30ml baking powder

50ml butter

1 egg

250ml - 375ml milk or water

Oil to deep fry

Syrup:

4 cups sugar

375ml water

2.5ml cream of tartar

2.5ml fine cinnamon

2 sticks of cinnamon

Optional: glycerin

The Koeksisters dough and Syrup need time to rest and cool, and will need to be prepared at least 2 hours before the remaining steps.

Syrup Method:

1. Mix sugar and water, add cream of tartar and cinnamon. Let it boil for 5 mins. You can add 5-10ml of glycerin just before you take it off the stove to give it a nice shine.

2. Let the syrup cool of thoroughly before using it. It HAS to be cold when the Koeksisters are added. An ice bath will also help to keep the syrup container cold while the hot Koeksisters are being added.

Koeksisters Method:

1. Sift dry ingredients together, mix butter in with the points of your

fingers or add it to a table top mixer.

2. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture.

3. Add water/milk until it becomes a soft dough, knead until it is smooth and then let it stand for at least 2 hours.

4. Roll the dough out and cut strips, make them a nice size as the thicker they are the more syrup they absorb!

5. Braid the strips.  Easiest way is to cut a thick strip and then cut 2 lines starting at one end but not going through the other end. Braid the 3 strips all connected together at the top.

6. Heat the oil in a deep pan or pot. Let the oil get nice and hot (like 375C)

7. Add the Koeksisters to the hot oil. Moenie jou vingers brand nie!  Let them go brown on one side and then turn them over.

8. Take them out, and let them drain for a few seconds on a kitchen towel.

9. Add them into the bath of ice cold syrup and allow them to soak up all of the greatness.

10.Take them out and let them dry off on a cookie rack