Koeksisters

Ingredients 

• 1½ cups refined flour
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons castor sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 inch ginger finely chopped
• ½ lemon
• Oil for greasing + deep frying

Method

1. Take refined flour in a large bowl, add corn meal, baking powder, salt and castor sugar and whisk well.
2. Break the egg into the bowl, add milk and knead into soft dough. Add 2 tbsps butter and knead till the butter is well incorporated. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat sugar and 1 cup water in a deep pan. Add cinnamon, and ginger and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into the pan. Discard the scum and stir till the sugar dissolves. Cook till the syrup reaches one-string consistency. Strain into a bowl and refrigerate till chilled.
4. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. To make each koeksister, take 3 portions and shape each into a thin long cylinder. Lay them side by side, press them together on one end braid them and pinch the other end.
5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, gently slide in the dough braids and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
6. Dip these koeksisters while they are hot into the chilled sugar syrup. Drain them and place them on a cooling rack.
7. Transfer them into a serving bowl and serve.