Koeksuster Recipe

Koeksusters

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

Over the years, I have cooked for a number of South African culinary events held abroad, and it has become apparent that South Africans are accustomed to eating rich, syrupy desserts. The best example of a proudly South African dessert is the koeksuster. This syrup-coated, plaited doughnut is fun to make and worth the effort. Your dad will never buy another koeksuster again!

Yields : 24 (extras can be frozen and slowly defrosted when need be)

Ingredients :

Syrup

1 kg Sugar

500 ml Water

3x4cm slices of Ginger

2 ml Cream Of Tartar

1 pinch Salt

1 Lemon Rind

5 ml Cinnamon

Dough

500 g Flour

2 ml Salt

30 ml Baking Powder

55 g Butter

1 Jumbo Egg

240 ml Milk

Sunflower Oil for deep frying

Method:

Syrup

1) Place all the syrup ingredients into a pot. Bring to the boil stirring continuously. Allow to simmer for one minute. Place in the fridge once cooled and allow chilling for two hours or overnight.

Dough

2) Sieve the dry ingredients together

3) Rub in the chilled butter

4) Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut this liquid into the dry ingredients until a soft dough is formed.

5) Knead well until bubbles form under the surface of the dough

6) Cover with a damp cloth and allow standing for one hour

7) Heat the oil until warm

8) Divide the dough into four equal amounts

9) Roll the one part of the dough out, on a lightly floured counter top, into a long rectangular shape with a width of 9cm and thickness of 5mm. Cut about 6 pieces of about 4cm in thickness from this main piece. Cut through each piece twice, but only ¾ of the way up, to form three long thin pieces to plait. Plait and pinch the end of the dough when finished. Deep-fry and place into chilled syrup for a few seconds. Remove and eat. Continue with the next dough amount.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713