Pronounced Koo-sisters.

The koeksister is a South African sticky deep fried doughnut, drenched in syrup that will take you on a culinary journey of sweetness.

The word koeksister is derived from the dutch word "koekie" which means cake. There are two versions of the infamous doughnut, there is Afrikaner version - which is plaited crunchie dough drenched in syrup immediately after its fried and there is the traditional Cape Malay version, which is a soft spicy dough which is cooled and then drenched in a sweet cinnamon infused syrup and covered in coconut.

Today we will be sharing the traditional Cape Malay Koeksister recipe by Salwaa Smith. Enjoy.

Koeksister Ingredients

• 500g Cake Flour 
• 1 Cup Boiling water 
• 1 Cup Cold milk
• 1/2 Cup Of Sugar
• 1 Dessert Spoon Butter
• 2 Teaspoons of Aniseed powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried naartjie peel
• 1 Teasppon dried ginger powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
• 1 Packet of Instant Yeast
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cardamon Powder

1. Add the butter to the hot water and stir until melted

2. Add the milk and stir

3. Add the flour, sugar and all the spices including the yeast

4. Make a well in the centre of the bowl

5. Pour the milk and butter mixture

6. Mix the mixture with your hands to get the all your heart and soul into it

7. This is the consistency that you should get below, after mixing the ingredients together

8. Cover the dough with a plastic wrap or cover and leave for 1 and half hours. 

9. This is how you dough should look like after 1 and half hours. It should double the size.

10. Oil the surface of your hands and shape the dough into small golf balls. You should get about 30 dough balls per batch.

11. Heat about a litre of oil about medium to high heat. Flatten the dough and place them in the pan to cook. Do not overcrowd :) 

You can freeze your koeksisters for up to 2 months.

How to make syrup for the koeksisters

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of sugar
• 2 Cups of water
• 3 cardamom pods 
• 1 - 2 Sticks of Cinnamon

1. Add all the ingredients in a pot at medium heat and boil.

2. The is syrup is ready when the spoon is coated. 

The syrup needs to be sticky and slightly thinkened. If the syrup begins to thicken, add a few drops in the water.

3. Place the koeksisters in the pot while the syrup is on a medium to low heat. 

4. Bon Appetite. Add a some desiccated coconut on a plate and sprinkle coconut all over you koeksistes and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

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