{"id":"koeksisters_5c8d075699","slug":"koeksisters","title":"Koeksisters","description":"A traditional South African syrupy treat made from braided dough, deep-fried until golden and immediately plunged into ice-cold ginger and lemon-infused syrup for a crunchy, sticky finish.","serves":24,"time":{"prepMinutes":30,"cookMinutes":30,"totalMinutes":60,"activeMinutes":60},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"1 kg white sugar","name":"Sugar","quantity":1,"unit":"kg","usQuantity":5,"usUnit":"cup","form":"white","notes":"for the syrup","group":"Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"500 ml water","name":"Water","quantity":500,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"2 1/8","usUnit":"cup","form":"","notes":"for the syrup","group":"Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"20 ml lemon juice","name":"Lemon Juice","quantity":20,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"1 1/3","usUnit":"tbsp","form":"fresh","notes":"for the syrup","group":"Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"1 piece fresh ginger, sliced","name":"Ginger","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"sliced","notes":"approx 2-3 cm","group":"Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"1 cinnamon stick","name":"Cinnamon Stick","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"stick","notes":"","group":"Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"500 g cake flour","name":"Cake Flour","quantity":500,"unit":"g","usQuantity":4,"usUnit":"cup","form":"cake flour","notes":"sifted","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"20 ml baking powder","name":"Baking Powder","quantity":20,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"1 1/3","usUnit":"tbsp","form":"","notes":"","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"2 ml salt","name":"Salt","quantity":2,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"1/2","usUnit":"tsp","form":"","notes":"","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"60 g butter","name":"Butter","quantity":60,"unit":"g","usQuantity":2.1,"usUnit":"oz","form":"unsalted","notes":"chilled and cubed","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-10","original":"1 large egg","name":"Egg","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"","notes":"","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-11","original":"250 ml milk","name":"Milk","quantity":250,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"cup","form":"full cream","notes":"can substitute with water","group":"Dough","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-12","original":"Vegetable oil for frying","name":"Vegetable Oil","quantity":1,"unit":"l","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"qt","form":"","notes":"as needed for deep frying","group":"Cooking","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon stick. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate until ice-cold (ideally overnight).","group":"Syrup Preparation","title":"Combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon stick","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Syrup Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.","group":"Dough Preparation","title":"Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Dough Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Whisk the egg and milk together, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for a few minutes until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.","group":"Dough Preparation","title":"Whisk the egg and milk together","timerMinutes":30,"sourceTitle":"Dough Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm. Cut into strips approximately 6cm long and 1cm wide. Join three strips at one end and braid them, pinching the other end to seal.","group":"Shaping","title":"Roll out the dough","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Shaping"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 180°C (356°F). Fry the koeksisters in small batches until they are a deep golden brown, turning frequently.","group":"Cooking","title":"Heat the vegetable oil","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Cooking"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Remove the hot koeksisters from the oil and immediately plunge them into the ice-cold syrup. Keep the syrup container inside a larger bowl of ice to keep it cold. Let the pastries soak for at least 1 minute until they have absorbed the syrup, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.","group":"Finishing","title":"Remove the hot koeksisters from the oil and immediately plunge them","timerMinutes":1,"sourceTitle":"Finishing"}],"notes":"The secret to a perfect koeksister is the temperature contrast: the syrup must be ice-cold and the dough must be hot from the fryer. It is best to make the syrup the night before and keep it in the fridge.","cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["South African"]},"course":["dessert"],"cookingMethod":["fry"],"equipment":["Large saucepan","Deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot","Slotted spoon","Wire rack","Rolling pin","Mixing bowl"],"diet":["vegetarian","nut_free"],"allergens":["wheat","gluten","milk","eggs"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":24,"unit":"piece","note":"makes approximately two dozen braided pastries"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"The syrup must be made at least 12 hours in advance to be properly chilled. Fried dough can be kept for a day, but the texture is best when fresh."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them crunchy and sticky.","reheatingNotes":"Do not reheat; they are traditionally served cold."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fkoeksisters_5c8d075699%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=25dc53ac-30e6-4df3-a2a3-0b16f969b5cd","imageAlt":"Koeksisters — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["South African","Sticky","Syrupy","Deep Fried","Braided","Traditional"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Koeksisters","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T22:43:21.788Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T22:43:21.788Z","related":[{"id":"recipe_ff7317ca1a","slug":"basbousa-egyptian-b8fb751d","title":"Basbousa with Lemon Syrup","description":"A traditional Middle Eastern and North African semolina cake, soaked in a fragrant simple syrup and topped with almonds. It is moist, dense, and perfectly sweet.","serves":12,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":40,"totalMinutes":55,"activeMinutes":20},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Egyptian","North African"]},"course":["dessert"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["vegetarian"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_ff7317ca1a%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=f949f5dc-d4a5-4104-96cc-149b15f42f44","imageAlt":"Basbousa with Lemon Syrup — recipe cover","tags":["semolina","sweet","cake","traditional","middle eastern","dessert"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":10,"stepCount":6},{"id":"bofrot_60aa63f14d","slug":"bofrot","title":"Bofrot","description":"A classic West African deep-fried dough snack, particularly popular in Ghana, known for its golden-brown exterior and soft, spongy interior.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":90,"activeMinutes":30},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Ghanaian"]},"course":["dessert"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["vegetarian","dairy_free","nut_free","egg_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fbofrot_60aa63f14d%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=dc35737d-86e3-4bfe-8e36-ea51c85bda98","imageAlt":"Bofrot — recipe cover","tags":["west african","street food","fried dough","spongy","sweet snack"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":7,"stepCount":7},{"id":"bouye_f6c3b55cf7","slug":"bouye-baobab-fruit-drink","title":"Bouye (Baobab Fruit Drink)","description":"A thick, creamy, and tangy traditional West African drink made from the nutrient-dense fruit of the baobab tree.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":0,"totalMinutes":45,"activeMinutes":15},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Senegalese"]},"course":["dessert"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fbouye_f6c3b55cf7%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=e6898e06-d939-4b3d-8e31-692c9553c209","imageAlt":"Bouye (Baobab Fruit Drink) — recipe cover","tags":["baobab","african drink","senegalese","creamy","vitamin c","exotic juice"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":5,"stepCount":4}]}