DINNER IN 120 MINUTES
PANTRY-FRIENDLY
1
Step 1
Make the syrup a day ahead: dissolve the sugar in the water, add the lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger and boil for 5 minutes. Cool, then chill overnight. The syrup must be ice cold.
DINNER IN 120 MINUTES
PANTRY-FRIENDLY
DESSERT
Koeksisters
Crunchy, syrupy plaited koeksisters, the classic South African treat. Makes about 24; make the syrup a day ahead.
Total time120 min
YieldServes 24
DietVegetarian
Shopping12 ingredients
DifficultyEasy
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Check ingredients as you gather them, then work through 5 calm, clearly numbered steps.
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Ingredients
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Method
5 steps · about 120 minutes total
2
Step 2
For the dough, mix the flour, baking powder and salt and rub in the butter. Whisk the egg with the milk and mix in to make a soft dough. Knead briefly, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
3
Step 3
Roll the dough out 5 mm thick, cut into strips about 2 cm wide and 8 cm long, cut each into three strands joined at the top, and plait them, pinching the ends.
4
Step 4
Deep-fry a few at a time in oil at about 180°C for 1 to 2 minutes a side until golden and cooked through.
5
Step 5
Lift straight from the oil into the ice-cold syrup for about 30 seconds, then drain on a rack.
Before you serve
Cooking notes & good-to-know answers.
Small details for confident timing, useful swaps, and safer leftovers.
Cooking notes
Keep half the syrup in the freezer and swap the bowls so it stays ice cold.
Never leave hot oil unattended.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Good to know
Hot dough in cold syrup soaks it up quickly while the outside stays crisp.
Afrikaner koeksisters are plaited, crisp and syrupy; Cape Malay koesisters are spiced, soft and rolled in coconut.
Yes. Freeze them in a sealed container and serve straight from the freezer for extra crunch.
About this recipe
Koeksisters are plaited South African doughnuts, fried until crisp and plunged into ice-cold syrup so they stay crunchy outside and syrupy inside. They take time, but they are a much-loved treat.
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