Recipe for Koeksister (South Africa)

Ingredients

500ml (2 cups) cake flour
20ml (4 teaspoons) baking powder
3ml (½ teaspoon) salt
25ml (5 teaspoons) butter
125ml (½ cup) sour milk or buttermilk, or water and lemon juice

Enough Oil for deep frying

SYRUP:
1kg Huletts White Sugar
500ml (2 cups) water
2 pieces of ginger, bruised
2ml cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
Grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

Method

1. Sift together the dry ingredients and rub in the butter with the fingertips, or cut it in with a pastry blender.
2. Mix with the liquid to a soft dough which can easily be kneaded. Use more liquid if necessary.
3. Knead thoroughly until small bubbles form under the surface of the dough, cover with a damp cloth and allow to stand for 15 minutes.
4. Roll to a thickness of 5mm and cut into 5mm strips 7cm long. Place ends of three strips on top of the other, press together and plait. When plaited, press the ends together again.
5. Fry in hot, deep fat (170ºC) until done and golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper for a moment and then immerse in ice cold syrup.
6. Remove, allow excess syrup to drip off, and leave to dry on a wire rack.

SYRUP: MADE EARLIER SO THAT IT CAN BE COOLED IN REFRIGERATOR!!!

1. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan. Heat, while stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Cover and boil for one minute.
2. Remove the lid and boil for a further 5 minutes. Do not stir.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool thoroughly in a refrigerator if possible.