Koeksusters

Allan Rees-Bevan's Note:

A deliciously sweet South African classic! They're a bit like twisted doughnuts smothered in a ginger syrup. The Dutch name comes from the fact that they looks like girls' braids - "cooked sisters".

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 Koeksus ...

Syrup

• 6 cups water
• 24 g gingerroot
• 2 1/2 kg sugar (12 cups)

Dough

• 6 cups plain flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 125 g margarine
• 2 eggs
• 125 ml evaporated milk
• 312 ml lukewarm water
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Syrup:.
2. 1. Boil well 3 cups of Water with the ginger.
3. 2. Remove the Ginger and add 3 more cups of Water.
4. 3. Bring to boil again.
5. 4. Then add 2.5 kgs (12 cups) of Sugar and allow to boil for 5 minutes.
6. 5. Put in fridge and leave overnight.
7. Dough:.
8. 1. Mix all the ingredients together and knead well and then leave to rest.
9. 2. Roll the dough flat into an oval/square until it is 5mm thick.
10. 3. Cut the dough into strips 2.5cm across.
11. 4. Then cut these strips into lengths of 6cm. (So you are left with a whole bunch of rectangles 2.5cm x 6cm.).
12. 5. Then make two cuts along the length of the rectangles so that you can braid them. What you're aiming at is the same braid in a scout's toggle. (or similar to a girl's 3-strand braid in her hair.).
13. 6. When you're finished you should have a whole bunch of braided dough pastries ready to be boiled in oil --
14. 7. Cook these in hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
15. 8. Dip the whole cooked Koeksuster immediately into your cool syrup that you've hauled out the fridge.
16. 9. Remove from the syrup and allow to cool (on a newspaper or kitchen towel) before eating.
17. 10. Don't eat too many!