Koeksusters are a delicious South African treat, often served at special occasions or as a sweet indulgence. These fried dough strips are soaked in a fragrant syrup, making them irresistibly sweet and sticky. Perfect for sharing by the dozen with friends and family!
Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour. 2 tsp baking powder. 1/2 tsp salt. 4 tbsp sugar. 2 tbsp butter. 2 large eggs. 1 cup milk. Vegetable oil for frying. For the syrup:. 1 1/2 cups sugar. 1 cup water. 1/2 tsp lemon juice. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Instructions: Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients with the butter, rubbing it in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Beat the eggs and milk in a separate bowl and stir them into the dry mixture. Stir to form a soft dough. Knead dough just long enough to get it smooth. After covering the dough, give it a half-hour to rest. On a surface dusted with flour, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Make a slit down the middle of each rectangular strip of dough that is about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. In a deep pan or fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 350F 175C. Fry the dough strips, batch by batch, until golden brown, flipping once. Each batch should take two to three minutes to complete. After removing the fried dough strips, pat them dry with paper towels. To make the syrup, put the sugar, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a different saucepan. After bringing it to a boil, simmer it for five minutes. Make sure the fried dough strips are completely coated by dipping them into the hot syrup. After letting them soak for a short while, take them out and set them on a wire rack to cool and let any extra syrup drip off. The koeksusters are ready to be enjoyed once they have cooled!
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Philippe G. Vidon
