Making South African "Koeksisters"

Intro: Making South African "Koeksisters"

Here I am going to show you how to make South African "koeksisters" (pronounced cook-sister and meaning cake sister). You are going to be working on a stove and with heat so be careful, wear protective clothing and keep the children away from any thing hot or dangerous.

Remember the normal safety and hygiene rules apply when working with heat and preparing food.

The "koeksister" consists of a syrup and fried dough. You are going to need the following:


INGREDIENTS: SYRUP

1 kilogram (4 cups) of sugar
500ml (2 cups) of water
2ml cream of tartar
2ml powdered ginger
2ml salt
1 piece of cinnamon
50ml of golden syrup

INGREDIENTS: DOUGH

625ml (2.5 cups) cake flour
20ml backing powder
3ml salt
60g of butter or margarine
1 egg
140ml water
750ml (more or less) cooking oil

CONVERSION TABLE:

2 ml = 0.4 teaspoon
3 ml = 0.6 teaspoon
20 ml = 4 teaspoons
50 ml = 10 teaspoons (1.7 ounces)
140 ml = 9.5 tablespoons (4.7 ounces) (0.6 cups)
500 ml = 2 cups
625 ml = 2.6 cups
750 ml = 3 cups
1 kg  = 2.2 lbs (35.2 ounces)
1 egg = 1egg ;-)

You can also use this website to do conversions for you: http://www.onlineconversion.com

STEP 1: Making the Syrup

INGREDIENTS: SYRUP

1 kilogram (4 cups) of sugar
500ml (2 cups) of water
2ml cream of tartar
2ml powdered ginger
2ml salt
1 piece of cinnamon
50ml of golden syrup

METHOD:

Mix the ingredients in a saucepan or other suitable pot. Heat it all up until the sugar has dissolved while stirring constantly. Bring it all to boiling point and then boil for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat source and let it cool down then put it in the fridge.

Some people prefer to have the syrup hot, others like it at room temperature but most prefer it cold. Decide for yourself.

STEP 2: Making the Dough

INGREDIENTS: DOUGH

625ml (2.5 cups) cake flour
20ml backing powder
3ml salt
60g of butter or margarine
1 egg
140ml water
750ml (more or less) cooking oil

METHOD:

Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together into a mixing bowl. Using your fingers mix the butter into the mixture until it starts to look like bread crumbs. Add the egg to the water and beat then add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until it is a soft dough kneading thoroughly. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic cling wrap and let the mixture "rest" for at least an hour.

STEP 3: Making the Koeksisters

METHOD:

Roll the dough out until about 5mm (0.2 inches) thick. Make sure in is at least 7 to 9cm (2.75 to 3.5 inches) long. Cut the dough into 5cm (1.96 inches) broad strips. Divide each strip (block of 8 x 5cm) into three equal strips called fingers. Do not divide them right through but leave them attached at one end. This should leave you with 8 x 5cm blocks of dough each with three "fingers" but all still connected at one end.

We are now going to braid / weave / plait the dough like you would hair into a pigtail. Once you has braided the dough press the ends tightly together.

Heat up the oil and once the oil is ready put the raw "koeksisters" in two or three at a time. Let them fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown then turn them over for another minute or two on the other side. Make sure they are all round golden brown.

The oil must not be too hot. The hotter the oil, the "crispier" the outside of the "koeksister" will be. This will also happen if you leave them in too long. They should normally just turn a golden yellow, light brown before you take them out of the oil.

STEP 4: Dunking the Koeksister

METHOD:

Dunk the fried "koeksisters" immediately after you have taken them out of the oil into the ice cold syrup. Take them out of the syrup before you dunk the next batch and put them on a cooling grill. Remember to use a drip tray otherwise everything will become sticky.

EXPERT TIP:
Put the bowl of ice cold syrup into another bowl filled with ice. This will keep the syrup cold until you have cooked your whole batch. (That is if you are going to make a lot.)

I do not know why but letting them stand overnight always makes then taste better.

You should get between 18 and 22 "koeksisters"  out of the recipe provided.

Serve warm or cold. As a snack, appetizer, cocktail, treat or pudding. Either way they are mouth watering delicious!

Comments

[AshleighLm]

Unfair, how can I look at them at not want to make them. Koeksisters are so nice. When ever I go to a friends house and there are koeksisters... Empty bowl remains. I'm totaly going to jot down your recipe. Thanks.

[Mutantflame]

These things are amazing!!! I've had them before and would recommend them to anyone!

Thanks Andre for making an instructable about them, I hope to make these for sure!

[Andre Coetzee]

You should try them. You will be the talk of the town. They are actually a weird looking doughnut. The braiding bit is n bit tricky but by the end of the batch you will be a champion.

The syrup is a killer. People do different things with the syrup to give them different flavors. Some have a strong ginger taste, others are more cinnamon. Some people keep the syrup warm and let the "koeksisters" soak in them overnight. They then become soft, juicy and quite sweet.

Mine were n bit crispy, not too sweet and a little like a doughnut right in the middle.

[jessyratfink]

Wow, those sound so good. I love ginger and cinnamon. :D

[Andre Coetzee]

The syrup is actually what makes the "koeksister". I submerged the cinnamon stick a lot during the boiling of the syrup. The "koeksister" is a kind of doughnut and during this instructable, my wife and I, made a few "doughnuts" and covered then in "koeksister" syrup. They were just as delicious! The "koeksister" has become such a part of the South African Afrikaans culture that we call everyday occurrences by this name. A specific set of very busy highways and flyovers that intertwine each other is called "koeksister" crossing. A very conservative girl that does not put out will be called a "koeksister", anything intertwined or crossed over might be called a "koeksister".

You should really try then. It is a bit of work and the end result will not last long. Although the "koeksister" can last for days, ours did not even see 24 hours before they were all gobbled up.

[Browncoat]

Since this uses water, you should think about entering this in the Water Challenge. :)
https://www.instructables.com/id/Summer-Water-Challenge/

[Browncoat]

Since this uses water, you should think about entering this in the Water Challenge. :)
https://www.instructables.com/id/Summer-Water-Challenge/