Recipe of the Quarter - Koeksisters

These delicious South African mini-donuts are braided, deep-fried and soaked in syrup infused with ginger and lemon. The treat was introduced by the Malayan settlers in the 17^th century and remains a "must try" for those visiting Cape Town.

Yield 3 dozen

Ingredients

For Koeksister Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter cold

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg lightly beaten

Vegetable or canola oil for frying

For Rooibos-Juniper Syrup

2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cup water

zest of one lemon

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-tablespoon Rishi Rooibos-Peppermint tea you can also use a mix of peppermint and rooibos tea

1-tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1-tablespoon juniper berries

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped into mixture optional (you can also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

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 back the top corners to make it uniform.

Heat your oil in a deep fryer to 370 degrees. If you are 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).

To Make Syrup:

Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add 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.