South African Koeksisters

A very sticky South African sweet. They remind me of a donut, but maybe messier. ;) I got this recipe from my South African friend, Sheralee. She says to try to eat a few before the family gets home because once they get stuck into them, you "ain't gonna get none!"

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Syrup

• 250  ml water (1 cup)
• 625  ml white sugar (2 1/2 cups)
• 12 1⁄2 ml lemon juice (2 1/2 tsp.)
• 5  ml vanilla essence (1 tsp.)

• Dough

• 375  ml cake flour (1 1/2 cups)
• 22  ml baking powder (4 1/2 tsp.)
• 1  ml salt (1/4 tsp.)
• 20  g butter or 20  g margarine
• 150  ml milk (the vanilla soy milk gives added flavor, 5/8 cup) or 150  ml vanilla-flavored soymilk (the vanilla soy milk gives added flavor, 5/8 cup)
• 750  ml canola oil (3 cups)

Directions

1. Put the water and sugar in a ot and bring to boil on low heat. Stir frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil for 7 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla essence. Put the pot into the fridge.
3. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Break the butter or margarine into small pieces and add to the four mixture. Add the milk. Mix well until a dough is formed.
4. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 5 mm (+ or - 1/4 in.). Cut the dough into thin (+ or - 10 mm or 1/2 in.) strips. Take 3 strips and join their ends on one side. Braid the strips to desired koeksister length and join other ends.
5. Heat the oil in a pot until fairly hot. Put about 3 koeksisters (or what can fit)at a time in the oil and fry them on both sides until they get a golden-brown color. As you remove the koeksisters for the oil, place them directly ito the syrup from the fridge. It is important to keep the syrup cool, so between soakings, return the syrup to the fridge to maintain its coolness.
6. Remove the koeksisters from the syrup and allow the excess syrup to drip off. Place them in the refrigerator to cool and then eat!