Koeksusters are delicious. There’s no getting around it. Just as there’s no denying that they are not healthy. Not even remotely. But that doesn’t matter terribly much. A simple plaited dough, fried till crispy on the outside, and just cooked through. Then soaked in a vanilla sugar syrup, until the core is gooey with sugar, while the outside remains crunchy. This is a part of South African heritage I’m very proud of!
Special South African Koeksusters
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A South African classic of plaited, deep-fried dough, soaked in a vanilla sugar syrup, creating a crunchy exterior and a gooey, sweet interior.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) cake flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable oil for frying
- 2 lb (1 kg) sugar
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the syrup
- Place all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil, while stirring constantly.
- Reduce to a moderate simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and place in a metal bowl if you have one.
- Place the bowl in a bigger container (or kitchen sink) filled with ice water – you want to get your syrup really cold. You can place it in the freezer too (in a Ziploc bag) when cool enough.
- Leave to chill while making your dough.
For the dough:
- In a bowl, sift the dry ingredients together and rub in the butter. Add the milk and mix into a soft dough; knead thoroughly, then leave to stand for about 15 minutes.
- If the dough is too crumbly, add a dash more milk, if it’s too wet, sprinkle with a little more flour.
- Roll out to a thickness of about 5mm and cut into strips 1.5cm wide and about 7cm long. Divide the 1.5cm into strips 5mm wide, but keeping them joined at the top.
- Create plaits with the three strips, making sure that you press the strips together firmly at both ends – this is very important because if you don’t, the koeksuster will fall apart in the oil. I know the plaits might seem very small now, but they expand when they fry and then absorb all the syrup. Don’t be tempted to make them bigger!
- Deep fry the koeksusters in hot oil until golden brown – don’t be afraid to get them a rich, deepish brown.
- Drain quickly and immediately dip into the ice-cold syrup. I left mine in the syrup for maximum saturation, and only removed them before I was going to serve. Yum.
Notes
- Koeksusters are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- For a twist, try adding a pinch of cinnamon to the dough.
- Ensure the syrup is warm, not hot, when dipping the koeksusters to prevent them from becoming too soggy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: South African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 koeksuster
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
What are koeksusters and what gives them their distinctive texture?
Koeksusters are a South African pastry made from a simple plaited dough that is deep-fried until crispy on the outside, then immediately soaked in an ice-cold vanilla sugar syrup. The article describes the result: crispy on the outside while the core becomes gooey with sugar — the contrast between the crunchy exterior and syrup-saturated interior is the defining characteristic.
Why does the syrup need to be ice-cold when the koeksusters go in?
The instructions say to chill the 2 lb of sugar syrup in a metal bowl set in a sink of ice water (or in the freezer in a zip-lock bag) before frying begins. The notes also warn that the syrup should be cold, not warm or hot, when dipping — using warm syrup prevents maximum absorption and can make them soggy rather than giving that gooey-inside, crunchy-outside texture. 
Why does the recipe warn not to make the plaits too large?
The instructions specifically caution: “Don’t be tempted to make them bigger!” The dough strips (cut 1.5 cm wide, 7 cm long, then divided into 5 mm strips) look very small before frying, but they expand in the hot oil and then absorb all the syrup. Oversized plaits won’t cook evenly or absorb the syrup properly.
This is the third New Year’s Eve in a row that we have made this recipe! It is a tradition in our family, as part of our Kwanzaa celebration :-) these are delicious, sweet and crispy, and my 10-year-old would love to eat the entire batch at one time if we let her.
Very nice recipe but they are like mini versions of the normal ones i always bought, i followed the measurements exactly (used a ruler even haha) theres alot of extra suryp as well but still tastes lovely
I’ve never heard of these, they look yummy¨!
Thanks Tamara! They are incredibly delicious – please try them out :)