Monday, April 19, 2010

Koeksisters - South African Dessert

Our Weekend went on very well, enjoyed a lot and have done our this Month's Candle Light Dinner at Restaurant enjoyed a 3 course meal with dessert me n my Hubby's faaaaav Cheese Cake. After a long time, we went to Restaurant for our Candle Light Dinner to Indian Restaurant " Bhanjara" this restaurant got very good ambience, in the evening time it will be pleasant to spend time for couples with Candle Light Dinner. On Our Dinner day evening, the weather was pleasant outside drizzling, nice breeze and our table was in the Balcony side with melodious live music inside restaurant wooooow!!!! simply superb evening. Last week, my Hubby was busy with his work, we couldn't find time to spend each other in the evenings so we planned to stop other works and spend our weekend only both of us.

Okay, let me come here to my recipe today. Koeksisters comes from the Dutch word koekje, Koek meaning "Cake". It is a South African syrup-coated doughnut in a twisted or braided shape (like a plait). It is prepared by deep-frying dough in oil then dipping the fried dough into cold sugar syrup. Best eaten cold, koeksusters are very sticky and sweet and taste like honey.(source wiki). Here, Everybody makes Koeksisters for Christmas and all occassions, also Indians do for all occassions very simple and easy dessert with sugar syrup on outside and inside will be fluffy like cake.I tried many times, while i tried at first time the shape didn't came our right after getting practice doing many times now the koeksisters shape looks nice n perfect. Below, i showed my first time koeksisters and present koeksisters shape you can see the difference between my first try and recently made koeksister.




Ingredients:

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.Egg - 1 Large
3.Butter - 3 tbsp ( i used margerine many times but while using butter koeksister comes soft)
4.Butter Milk - 1/2 cup
5.Baking Powder - 3 tsp
6.Salt - 1/2 tsp
7.Canola Oil for Deep Frying

Ingredients for making Syrup:

1.White Sugar - 700 gms
2.Water - 2 cups
3.Crushed Whole Cardamom pods - 4 no's ( Here they use Cinnamon sticks, i like always cardamom to use)
4.Ground Ginger - 1 tsp
5.Lemon juice - from 1 small lemon

Preparation:

1.Mix dry ingredients first, Cake Flour, Salt and Baking Powder then rub with butter nicley till it turns like Fine bread crumbs.
2.In another bowl, beat the egg roughly and add the butter milk mix it gently for 2 mts, then add these wet ingredients with flour knead it gently for 5 mts if you feel sticky in your hands apply oil and then knead the dough.
3.You have to knead the dough till you feel soft and do not stick around the edges of the pot, test the dough by making one small lemon size ball it should come soft and in shape without any crack on sides.
4.Now close the dough with damp cloth and leave it to sit for 4 hrs. Meanwhile, we can make Sugar syrup.
5.I use to prepare the syrup a day before itself, because we shouldn't put the fried pieces in the warm or hot syrup. It should completely cold while we are dipping the hot fried pieces.
6.Heat all the ingredients under making syrup put together and leave it to cook in medium flame close the pot with the lid. Stir it well frequently till it dissolves fully.
7.There is no consistency need for this Sugar syrup, just dissolved everything ( not too watery use exact amount of measurement for syrup)
8.Now leave the syrup to cool, keep it inside the fridge.
9.Now, we need to start do frying our koeksisters, Now roll down the dough to 7 cm long and 2 cm wide.
10.Cut into 3 strips, we can make in 2 ways one like our hair plait with 3 strips and other one is take 1 strip from the 3 strips twist like in the first picture and pinch together at the end of the strip.
11.Make what shape you prefer, but the koeksisters shape should be like in the pictures.
12.Now deep fry the koeksisters till it turns golden brown. Drain it in the kitchen towel and dip it in the cold sugar syrup. (Dip immediately the koeksister is hot)
13.Take out after 5mts and leave it in the plate to set well.
14.Now the Koeksisters are ready to serve cold.

I am Passing this Sweet, gooey and fluffy Koeksisters - South African Dessert to AWED - Africa hosted by PJ and to Divya's AWED menu.

And also Passing this Cardamom flavoured koeksister to Priya's CWS event.

I am passing this Sweet Koeksisters to Meetha's Monthly Mingle - South African Cuisine

57 comments:

  1. Sathya ... chance illa pa... it looks fabulous ... shows how determined u r .. great job ..

    This is surely the perfect entry for African event ... Awesome , I have no words , am dumbstruck .

    BTW, good to know you had a wonderful evening at bhanjara ...

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  2. wow..this awesome sathya..looks fab n delicious!

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  3. Interesting Name,and such an unique dessert, never heard abt this before...looks too good sathya,where did you learn this from?....sounds exicting, and cant wait to try this ...so nice to know that your weekend was superb,

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  4. Sushma,,,we r doing well dear..hw ws ur weekend?...Sushma,,this koeksisters learned from our frenz here dear,,they r born n brought up in SA,, SA indians she taught me how to do this dessert,they do this one for all occassions.. its soo simple n easy to make..

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  5. S.Africa is having lot of influence from Belgium too. The language they speak is almost like a colocial flemish.
    Beautiful cookies and look yumm.

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  6. I have seen this fried doughnuts somewhere, looks too prefect, loved the way u have braided ur doughnuts Sathya...looks fantastic, thanks for sending dear...Yenga veetula ellarume appadiye than irrukanga..lolz yarume gundagala yenna thavira..lolz..Am have put some weights recently, trying to eat less..but it still hard to stop eating..

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  7. Interesting and unique recipe .Looks so lovely and beautiful!

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  8. Koeksisters looks yummy and crispy. In german bakery, they used to bake bread like this plait. But this SA dessert is easy to make.Thanks for sharing.
    Good to know that you guys had a great weekend.

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  9. Wow! African version of surul poori! I wonder how it tastes! Onnu kadikkaporen! Ennala sweet taste budsai control pannu mudila! Cool braid!

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  10. Haiiiiii!!!! Finla, Priya, Devi, Padhu maa and Nandhini,,thanks for all ur lovely n beautiful words dears,,,sure try this one its very easy to make..Here,,,all SA recipes n even languages is mixed with German n Dutch,, if we know Africans can easily read, write n talk both German n dutch..

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  11. Sorry sathya couldnt reply earlier as there was so power, my weekend was fine too, had to attend one marriage, got to meet so many people there...had a nice time...this dessert is really very unique, looks like a plat isnt it...very nice one sathya, i love knowing abt different cuisine and this one certainly looks like a worth trying one and definitely a keeper to impress guests...Amit is also fine,having a nice time over here

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  12. Dessert looks awesome and the name is interesting as well.

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  13. U too have a lovely day sathya, will talk to you later, keep smiling...

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  14. Oh I love the shape - this looks delicious!

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  15. மிகவும் அருமையாக இருக்கின்றது...சூப்பர்ப்...கண்டிப்பாக செய்து பார்க்க வேண்டியது தான்...

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  16. wow..sathya...looks too good dear...excellent ..soo perfect..

    Love
    KS

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  17. Wow i love the shape and this looks delicious!

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  18. Love this braided sweet bread. Going gaga for the perfect little sweet things..Love love love it!

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  19. ur perfection is commendable dear...
    interesting and new recipe.. next time i know where to look for, for South African recipes..
    Thanks for sharing!

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  20. Sathya,

    New dessert looks good.Baird looks really good,you become expert. I like it.

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  21. Wow SathyaSridhar, they look so yummy and tempting. And looks like an easy recipe too. Will suit our palette :)

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  22. Dear Sathya, they look mouthwatering..pictures are so beautiful..

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  23. So u have njoyed a lot ur weekend...the dessert looks so perfect...new to me...thanks for sharing the info too regarding the dessert....

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  24. Looks tempting and delicious. Nice recipe.

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  25. Haaiiiiii!!! Latha,,Simply Life, Geetha, Kairali sisters, Divya,,,thanks for all ur valuable words dear,,do try this easy recipe n enjoy with ur family..

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  26. Haiiiii!!! to Coool Lassie, Uma, Maduri, Swathi, Priya, Nithu,Kamali n Valar,,thanks for all ur sweet words on my recipe sure try this one n enjoy with ur family dear..

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  27. It's always nice to have an evening of fun after a long busy schedule.Very nicely braided cake.You have mastered the cake.

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  28. Nice to know that you had a wonderful time with your sweetheart :) This sweet is new to me da...looks super delicious, really good :)

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  29. Haiii!!! Pavi, Subhie, Sushma and Gita,,thanks for ur lovely words dear..

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  30. 'Candle light dinner and live music' sounds very romantic da. Ketpathatru romba santhoshama irukku. Maatham oru muraiyavathu ippadi seivathu romba nallathu:) Koesksisters , romba azhaga irukku. Romba porumaiya azhaga seithurukkinga. Superb. Pathaley saappidanum pol irukku.

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  31. Wow looks delicious desert Sathya.

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  32. Wow ..Great dessert..Need to really appreciate your patience..Looks great !!!!

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  33. Glad to know that you had a great weekend .This is a new dessert for me to try out..thanks for sharing Sathya :-)

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  34. Hi Swathy,

    Thanks for the comments.

    Koeksisters... liked the name
    Might be when I prepare it will become koek brothers :)

    New to the blog and looks fine. As you said that you saw me in many food blogs. Yes, I love cooking and thus I am in search of some good cooking tips.

    So let's spy on your blog too :)

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  35. Great effort Sathya..This dessert looks perfect and delicious!!

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  36. Thanks for sharing a new an unique recipe with an interesting name! looks yummy!

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  37. hey sathya how r u dear...m bit busy this days so cnt do by regular bloghopping...:(...hey loved ur this south african dessert...must say now ur exprt in making it...thy r looking so lovely...m tempted to have thm...nice pics...

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  38. Very unique dessert, never heard abt this before.. but i really like the shape of it.. interesting .

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  39. Haaiii!!!! to Viki, Panchpakwan, Sabhi and Gulmohar ,,thanks for all ur sweeet words dears am happy u all liked this SA dessert..

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  40. Haiiii!!!! to Abhi, Yummy team, Fathima, Sidhdhi and Rumana,,, thanks for all ur interest on this dessert dears,,sure try this our n enjoy with ur family..

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  41. interesting name and interesting dish. u have made it so perfectly. looks beautiful.

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  42. You have done a very good job Sathya. U are a super chef. This one is very new to me. Some what similar to Badusha except for the egg part. Looks very very tempting. I am drooling.

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  43. Wow dear..Nice dessert.Enjoy ur candlelight dinners most now dear.....When a lil arrives u wont get enough time for such romantic dinners :)

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  44. Impressive name n tempting as well.Like the finishing of the dessert sathya.

    Glad that you enjoyed the weekend dear.

    Seems you don't get tired of cooking he he.

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  45. Hiiiiii!! to Suhaina, Kshipra, Vinee and San,, thanks for all ur beautiful words on my recipe dears,,,

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  46. Haiii Suhaina,, yes ofcourse you are right dear,, the same process n mixing for our badhusha except egg but i tried badusha with the same dough it came our like a cake inside it was sooo soft but badusha should be little bit hard n in layers naa...

    Haiiii!!! Vinee,,yes dear u r cent percent right da maa,, we have to enjoy most n most now itself even after baby we will allocate time for us dear..

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  47. Sathya.. I think the name Swathy was a confusion.. You know actually I meant to say Swadhy food and it came to be swathy ;)

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  48. Do they taste like badusha? The braid shapes are cute!

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  49. i have seen this dessert in bakeries but never knew what it was called. very informative post and a great dessert

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  50. I think every culture has a recipe for fried dough, and with good reason - it is fantastic! These look so delicious. Your braids are so pretty!

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  51. Sathya, thanks for visiting my blog dear. That was not horse gram. It was red lentils whole that is with husk or brown lentils.

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  52. Haaaaiiii!!!! to Abhi, Cham, PJ, Joanne and Kshipra,, thanks for all ur comments n clarifications...

    Abhi,,it's okay yaar not a probs, i was kidding you by saying that name..

    Cham,, no dear it wont taste like badusha inside it will be soo soft we used an egg na so it wont taste like badusha.

    Kshipra, thanks for ur clarification dear ur recipe is very nice one dear with that dal...

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  53. looks perfectly done and interesting too

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  54. This is absolutel yummy.. and so perfectly done
    i admire the way u have worked for it!

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  55. Lovely name and wonderful dish!!Thanks for sending it across for the event

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  56. This looks delightfully evil. I have seen many recipes for South African cuisine, but his is one of the first desserts. Thanks for sharing!
    My blog celebrated Africa Day with a collection of recipes from across the continent. I would love your thoughts. http://www.caseyangelova.com/2010/05/lets-celebrate-africa-day-2010.html

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