Faf's MasterChef challenge from the Dan Nicholl Show (SA)

In a recent episode of Masterchef South Africa contestants were challenged to create two local sweet syrupy pastries - the Afrikaans koeksuster, a plaited dough plunged searingly hot into icy cold spicy syrup, soaking this all the way through the dough; and the koesuster, a Cape Malay donut, a spicy fragrant dough dipped into a hot syrup and coated in coconut.  This is my attempt at koeksusters which, while a little tricky, worked out just perfectly!