# South African Koeksisters Recipe



## cas (Apr 20, 2007)

this is a recipe for koeksisters, this is very similar to a doughnut..... but not 

its strips of dough plaited together, then deep fried until golden brown, then dipped in ice cold syrup then cooled. its sooo yummy... but soooo bad for you.
I hope you guys try it cos I like to spread south african cooking around.

*[FONT=&quot]Koeksisters[/FONT]*

[FONT=&quot]The secret of the crisp syrupy outside of koeksisters is that they are taken straight from hot oil and dipped into ice-cold syrup. This seals the syrup outside and leaves the inside dryish in contrast. 

375ml water
800g sugar
2ml (1/2t) cream of tartar
2ml (1/2t) ground ginger
3 cinnamon sticks
500g cake flour
30ml (6t) baking powder
2ml (1/2t) salt
50ml (4T0 butter or margarine
2 eggs
250ml milk
oil for deep frying

To make syrup, heat water in a saucepan, add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add cream of tartar, ginger and cinnamon.
Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Do not stir, remove from stove and chill. the COLDER THE BETTER!
While syrup is chilling, make koeksisters. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine crumbs. 
Beat eggs and milk together and add to dry ingredients. Mix dough well, then knead lightly for 2 minutes to make it pliable.
Cover basin with wax paper and leave for 1 hour. 
Roll dough to a thickness of 7.5 to 10mm. Cut into strips about 8 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Cut each strip into three lengthwise, leaving one side uncut. Now plait the three pieces and press ends together firmly.
Heat oil to 190ºC and deepfry koeksisters for 1 minute. (Do not fry too many at once)
The syrup will warm up about halfway through, so divide the syrup into two bowls.
Remove from oil, drain on brown paper for 1 minute and dip in cold syrup for 30 seconds. Remove from syrup and place on a rack to dry.
Yummy[/FONT]


  Flour - 1 cup = 100 grams 1 tablespoon = 8 grams *Sugar* 
  Sugar - 1 cup = 200 grams 1 tablespoon = 15 grams



what your idealy looking for is a soft sweet inside and crispy outside... the best way to achieve this is to fry them at a quite low temperature so that all the dough is cooked through, otherwise it will be dry inside. 

Don't cut the dough too thin otherwise it will become cavernous on the inside and just be filled with syrup and taste horrible. 

plz everyone give it a try .


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## cjs (Apr 20, 2007)

oh my, don't these little goodies look wonderful!! 

A group of us are having an Ethiopian dinner one night in the next 2 weeks and I'm so anxious for it!

Lamb Stew
Iab
Injeera 
Queen of Sheba Salad (this is not an authenic recipe)
Tej - the honey wine 
Maandazi - a Kenyan donut


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## cas (Apr 20, 2007)

oh an ethiopian night ... 

people don't bother choosing themes like that these days ... 

it sounds wonderful

kenyan dounuts are to die for


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## urmaniac13 (Apr 20, 2007)

Cas, these goodies look absolutely delicious!!   I am curious about its name, it looks very much like Dutch.  Does the recipe have a background being traced to Holland?


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## lulu (Apr 20, 2007)

Sounds unbelievably good!  Oh, boy is my diet relieved I have nothing to fry it here!


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## cas (Apr 23, 2007)

urmaniac13 - it is orginally dutch 

*Etymology*

Dutch, from _koek_, cake + sissen, to sizzle


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## MonaRetha (Apr 30, 2007)

*tasty*

This is one of South Africa's most traditional recipes.  It is a mission to do it so I dont want you to do it and it is not so good... There are some tricks to it.  The way I were taught is not to keep it out of the oil too long, but the moment you've got it out of the oil, (use kitchen tongs) and maybe dap it on the the kitchen paper, and as soon as possible place it in the COLD syrup. (Dont let some of the Syrup touch the tong, because you dont want that to be in the warm oil)      Take a potatoe/mash "spoon" and push it down in the syrup, if you dont do that, you will have a "flop" (that is what we call it) because it will not absorb the syrup. (keep it under the cold syrup for about 30 seconds)  If it did not absorb the syrup it will raise faster to the surface.      Continue with the rest.  I make 3-4 at a time, and as soon as those 4 are done, I remove that and place it on rack with a plate under it to catch the syrup that drips.    I put it in the freezer as soon as I am done.  It gets soggy when it is not kept very cold.  Not good...  I keep mine in the freezer and remove as much as needed.  It defrost quiet fast.  Great to eat it cold.  Yes, I agree the syrup must be cold.  I prepare the syrup the day before and place it in the freezer overnight, and put it in the fridge the morning.  Still use only half of the syrup and leave the rest in the fridge and fill up as needed.         Hope you can understand my description, please feel free to ask me anything about this, have done this MANY times.  The name means, koek (cake) sisters (same as english- sisters) not sure where this is from, but a great favorite.  Only a few peoples believe that they can do it really good.http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif


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## cas (Apr 30, 2007)

I have made it loads and I got it perfect on the second try. 

It's not hard to make, yes, it takes up a bit of time, but hey it makes loads, you can freeze 'em and munch on em for weeks. 

I recon everyone should have a go at makin 'em and trying 'em


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## MonaRetha (May 1, 2007)

*Rooibos*

How about, come over for a lekker rooibos tea and koeksisters?    We can do it together.


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## cas (May 14, 2007)

only if i can have five roses tea instead of rooibos .... its then a deal


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