Cape Malay koeksisters are soft, lightly spiced and coated in coconut. They are different from the crisp plaited Afrikaner koeksister, but both belong proudly at the South African tea table. This version focuses on a fluffy crumb and syrup that clings without making the dough heavy.
Recipe at a glance
- Makes: 24
- Difficulty: Medium
- Total time: about 2 hours
- Estimated cost: about R75 total, or R3.15 each. Prices vary.
Ingredients
- 500 g cake flour
- 10 g instant yeast
- 60 g sugar
- 5 ml ground cinnamon
- 5 ml ground ginger
- 2.5 ml ground cardamom
- 2.5 ml aniseed
- 5 ml salt
- 30 g butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 300–330 ml lukewarm milk
- Oil for frying
- 250 g sugar and 250 ml water for syrup
- Desiccated coconut
Method
- Combine flour, yeast, sugar, spices and salt. Rub in the butter.
- Add the egg and enough milk to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until elastic.
- Cover and rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
- With oiled hands, shape small oval pieces. Rest for 15 minutes while heating oil to 170°C.
- Fry in batches, turning often, until deep golden and cooked through. Drain.
- Boil the syrup ingredients for 6 minutes. Dip each warm koeksister in hot syrup for 20–30 seconds, then roll in coconut.
My Kombuis notes
If the oil is too hot, the outside browns before the centre cooks. Test one first and tear it open. For the best texture, serve on the day they are made. Unsyruped koeksisters can be frozen, thawed and warmed before dipping.