Koeksisters

These South African mini-donuts are braided and then deep-fried. Next they are traditionally soaked in an ice-cold syrup infused with ginger and lemon. I’ve added some rooibos, peppermint and juniper for an herbal twist. You can also skip the soaking and just toss them in cinnamon sugar for a more familiar treat.

Servings

3dozen

Servings

3dozen

Ingredients

For Koeksister Dough:

2cups all-purpose flour
2tablespoons baking powder
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4cup unsalted buttercold
3/4cup buttermilk
1 egglightly beaten
vegetable or canola oilfor frying

For Rooibos-Juniper Syrup

2cups sugar
1 1/3cup water
zest of one lemon
2 1/2tablespoons lemon juice
1/2teaspoo salt
1tablespoons Rishi Rooibos-Peppermint teayou can also use a mix of peppermint and rooibos tea
1tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1tablespoons juniper berries
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped into mixtureoptional (you can also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

For Cinnamon Sugar:

1/2cup sugar
1teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

To Make Koeksisters:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, salt and butter. Pulse until no chunks of butter are visible. Add the buttermilk and beaten egg and process until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough feels smooth and springs back a bit. Put the dough in an airtight container at room temperature and let rest for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into a 13X9 rectangle. If your rectangle is wonky, roll it a bit larger and trim it to size. Cut into 2 1/2′ x 1″ rectangles. Make two cuts in each rectangle as shown above. Braid the three strips then pinch the ends closed. Fold bak the top corners to make it uniform.
Heat your oil in a deep fryer to 370 degrees. If your using a pan, put about two inches of oil in your pan and heat to 370 degrees. Fry the koeksisters in batches of six for 30-45 seconds, turning them to get even browning on both sides. They should be golden brown. Drain them briefly on a paper towel them soak them in the syrup for 1 minute (if using). If you’re doing the cinnamon-sugar method, drain them briefly on a paper towel then sprinkle and coat them with your cinnamon-sugar while still hot. Store in an airtight container.

To Make Syrup:

Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Ad the remaining ingredients and let simmer over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely then strain. Refrigerate at least overnight, up to a few weeks.

For Cinnamon Sugar:

Mix the sugar and cinnamon then spread in a shallow dish before adding the hot koeksisters.