Cape Malay Koesisters

Our food assistant, Kristen Scheepers, shared with us her gran’s recipe, which she has perfected from years of watching her gran make the koesisters.

Less than 45 minutes

Makes 32

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (150g) cake flour
  • 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
  • Pinch salt
  • ¼ cup (50g) castor sugar
  • 1 tsp (5ml) each ground ginger, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, cardamom
  • ½ tsp (3ml) aniseed, finely ground
  • 1 packet (10g) instant yeast
  • ⅓ cup (80g) butter
  • 1 cup (250ml) warm milk
  • 4 cups (1L) oil, for frying
Syrup:
  • 3 cups (600g) sugar
  • 1½ cups (375ml) water
  • 2 whole cardamom pods, bruised
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • Peel of 1 orange or lemon

Method:

  1. Combine flours, salt, sugar, spices and yeast.
  2. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  3. Add milk slowly, mixing until combined.
  4. Knead dough for 8-10 minutes. 
  5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm pressing down onto dough.
  6. Rest dough until it has risen and doubled in volume – depending on temperature, this can take between 1 and 3 hours.
  7. Once dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
  8. Divide dough in four and shape into 2cm-thick logs.
  9. Cut each log into 8cm pieces.
  10. Roll out gently with a rolling pin to form into an oval koesister. Set aside to puff up slightly.
  11. Fry in batches for 5-7 minutes, or until golden.
  12. Drain on kitchen paper and cool completely.
  13. Combine syrup ingredients and simmer until sugar is dissolved.
  14. Boil for 3-5 minutes. 
  15. Prick koesisters with a fork and add to bubbling hot syrup. Soak for a minute, turning continuously to coat evenly.  
  16. Remove koesisters and let the excess syrup drain.
  17. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut and serve immediately.

Tip: Freeze dough balls after frying. To serve, defrost for 10 minutes and then plunge into boiling syrup. Drain and sprinkle with coconut.

Tip: When working with dough, it can become slightly sticky, so be sure to oil your hands lightly when shaping.

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