Get started by making our fool-proof recipe here. Our Head of Food, Liezl Vermeulen, shares her grandmother’s tips and tricks below. Let’s get plaiting!
Step 1:
First oil your work surface, then shape a piece of dough into a log and roll out to 3mm thick. Cut into a neat 10cm-wide rectangle.
Step 2:
Cut rectangle into 3cm-wide strips, then cut each strip into 3 smaller strips, keeping 1cm joined at the top.
Step 3:
Plait dough, then wet loose ends slightly with a little water and pinch together.
Step 4:
Before frying, divide syrup between 2 bowls and place in the freezer. Rotate bowls when dipping koeksisters, and return to the freezer to keep syrup ice cold.
MORE PRO TIPS:
- Adding a little lemon juice to the syrup is optional, but it helps cut through the sweetness perfectly!
- It’s vital that your koeksisters are really hot and your syrup is ice cold. The difference in temperature ensures the deep-fried dough absorbs the syrup.
- If making plaits are too intimidating or time-consuming for you, opt to make koeksister bites, simply deep-frying 2cm cubes or little balls of dough.
- Remember, your koeksisters are best stored at room temperature, as storing it in the fridge can cause sugar to crystalise. However, when making a big batch, freezing koeksisters work surprisingly well.
Over to you – good luck!