Afrikaans koeksisters
| Recipe By: | TASTE |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Cooking Time: | 20minutes |
| Prep Time: | 45 minutes, plus overnight esting time |
Ingredients
- 300 g sugar for the egg whites
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- 1x 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, juiced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
- 280 g flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 Tbsp butter, plus extra, melted, for the tart base
- 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
- 7 Tbsp cold water
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
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Cooking Instructions
1. Make the syrup a day before in order to get it sufficiently cold for serving. Dissolve the sugar in
the water in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently – do not bring the mixture to a boil before the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, then add the spices, lemon juice and zest. Reduce the temperature and let the syrup simmer for a further 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool before transferring to a rectangular,airtight container. Chill overnight.
3. To make the dough, sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Rub in the butter to create a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs. Use a palette knife to mix in the egg, then add the water, a little at a time, until the dough comes together – add more flour if it feels overly sticky. Knead for 30 seconds to form a ball. Rest in a bowl covered with clingwrap at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
4. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 cm on a lightly floured surface. Cut into a rectangular shape and then into 12 x 4 cm strips. Turn each strip so that the short side is at the top. Make two incisions, 1 cm apart, into each strip, keeping the tops intact. Plait the three “legs” tightly and pinch the loose ends together. Fold the top in slightly to resemble the bottom. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and, when hot (test with a small piece of dough – it should sizzle
but not brown instantly), place 3 koeksisters into it.
Deep-fry for 3 minutes, turning and lightly pressing, remove using a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper before plunging into the cold syrup. Coat thoroughly in syrup and leave to soak for 1 minute. Remove and transfer to a rack to cool and dry slightly before serving.
FLAVOUR NOTE
Pair with coconut, allspice and naartjie.