Koeksisters

Koeksisters (Plaited Syrup Doughnuts)

A classic South African tea-time treat: braided dough fried golden, then plunged into ice-cold syrup so the pastry drinks up the sweetness. The syrup must be near-freezing and the doughnuts piping hot - that temperature contrast is what makes a proper koeksister.

Prep

45 min

Cook

30 min

Total

75 min

Serves

16 koeksisters

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (2 cups) cake flour, plus extra for dusting
• •2 tsp baking powder
• •salt, ½
• •1 tbsp sugar
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter, cold, cubed
• •180 ml (¾ cup) cold water
• •1 tsp white vinegar, or lemon juice
• •1 whole egg, lightly beaten
• •500 g (2¼ cups) sugar, for the syrup
• •500 ml (2 cups) water, for the syrup
• •1 tbsp lemon juice, for the syrup
• •1 stick cinnamon stick, optional, for the syrup
• •1 tsp ground ginger, optional - some Cape Malay versions add this
• •1 L (4 cups) neutral oil, for deep-frying, e.g. sunflower or canola

Steps

1. 1 Make the syrup first: combine 500 g sugar, 500 ml water, lemon juice and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, stir in the ginger if using, and refrigerate until ice-cold (at least 2 hours, ideally overnight). The syrup must be near 0°C / 32°F.
2. 2 For the dough: whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
3. 3 Mix the cold water, vinegar and beaten egg together, then stir into the flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not overwork it - a few turns until just combined is enough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
4. 4 Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll or pat it out to about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Cut into strips roughly 10 cm × 3 cm (4 × 1¼ inches).
5. 5 Take each strip and cut two slits lengthwise from one end, stopping about 1 cm (½ inch) short of the other end, so you have three attached strands. Braid the three strands loosely and pinch the bottom end firmly to seal. Repeat with the remaining strips.
6. 6 Heat the oil in a deep pot or deep-fryer to 170°C / 340°F. Do not exceed 180°C / 350°F or the outside will burn before the inside cooks.
7. 7 Fry the koeksisters in small batches for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown all over. They should feel firm and sound hollow when tapped. Internal dough should be fully cooked - no raw, doughy centre when you break one open.
8. 8 Lift each koeksister straight from the oil with a slotted spoon and plunge immediately into the ice-cold syrup. Let it soak for 20–30 seconds, turning once, so it absorbs the syrup while still hot.
9. 9 Remove to a wire rack set over a tray to drain. Repeat with the remaining batches, keeping the syrup cold - if it warms up, return it to the fridge between batches.
10. 10 Serve once cooled. Koeksisters are best eaten the same day; store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.