In brief
- The koeksister: plaited fried dough, dipped in an iced syrup with lemon, ginger and cinnamon
- Origin: South Africa, the Afrikaner community (Southern Africa)
- Essential ingredients: flour, butter, egg, baking powder, sugar, lemon, ginger, cinnamon
- Traditionally sold to fund schools and churches, today shared within the family
Origins and cultural history of the koeksister
The koeksister is a fried pastry originating in South Africa, associated with the Afrikaner community. Its name comes from the Dutch and Afrikaans "koek" (cake): the plaited dough is thought to have evolved from doughnut recipes brought to the Cape by Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century. The exact origin of the dish remains debated, with some sources pointing to the gradual merging of two separate recipes into a single pastry. Traditionally, making and selling koeksisters was used to fund the building of churches and schools in Afrikaner communities.
A related dessert, the koesister (without the second "k"), exists in the Cape Malay community of Cape Town: its dough is raised with baker's yeast and flavored with cardamom, cinnamon and sometimes aniseed, then rolled in grated coconut after being dipped in a warm syrup. The Afrikaner koeksister, meanwhile, is lightly spiced or not spiced at all, and is dipped while still hot into an iced syrup, which gives it its crackly crust and syrupy core.
What are the essential ingredients of the koeksister
The recipe combines a simple dough, raised with baking powder, with a fragrant syrup it is dipped into straight out of the fryer.
- Flour
- Butter and egg
- Baking powder
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Fresh ginger and cinnamon
What to know about koeksister
Koeksister is a South African pastry of the Afrikaner community: a braided dough made with flour, butter, egg and baking powder, fried and then dipped, still hot, in a chilled syrup with lemon, ginger and cinnamon. This dipping gives it its crunchy crust and syrupy center. Its name comes from Dutch and Afrikaans “koek” (cake). It differs from the koesister of the Cape Malay community in Cape Town, which is scented with cardamom and rolled in grated coconut.
Frequently asked questions about the koeksister
What is the difference between koeksister and koesister?
The Afrikaner koeksister is a plaited dough, lightly spiced or not spiced at all, raised with baking powder and dipped hot into an iced syrup. The Cape Malay koesister, with its different spelling, is a dough raised with baker's yeast, flavored with cardamom and cinnamon, dipped in a warm syrup and then rolled in grated coconut.
How should koeksisters be stored?
They keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container, as the syrup that soaks them makes them fragile at prolonged room temperature. They are traditionally eaten cold or at room temperature, without being reheated, to keep their crackly crust.
Where to find the ingredients for the koeksister in France?
NKOSI sells the cane sugar, cinnamon stick and lime juice needed for this recipe, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
