Cape Malay Koesisters Recipe

On crisp Sunday mornings across the Cape, the warm and comforting aroma of spiced dough frying in hot oil drifts through many neighbourhoods, signalling the beloved tradition of making koesisters. Unlike their braided Afrikaner cousins, these are pillowy, cake-like spiced doughnuts infused with aniseed, cinnamon, and ginger, then boiled briefly in a sticky syrup before being rolled generously in desiccated coconut.

Prep time: 45 minutes plus 2 hours rising time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 500 grams cake flour
• 10 grams instant yeast
• 60 grams castor sugar
• 5 millilitres ground cinnamon
• 5 millilitres ground ginger
• 5 millilitres aniseed
• 2.5 millilitres ground nutmeg
• 2.5 millilitres salt
• 45 grams butter, softened
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 250 millilitres lukewarm milk
• 1 litre vegetable oil for deep frying
• 200 millilitres water
• 300 millilitres white sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bruised cardamom pods
• 150 grams desiccated coconut for rolling

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, instant yeast, castor sugar, cinnamon, ginger, aniseed, nutmeg, and salt. Rub the softened butter into the dry mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in the beaten egg and gradually add the lukewarm milk, mixing with your hands to form a soft, pliable dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
4. While the dough rises, prepare the syrup. In a wide saucepan, combine the water, white sugar, cinnamon stick, and bruised cardamom pods. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 30 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth, oval-shaped ball. Cover with a cloth and let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-based pot over medium heat until it reaches 180 degrees Celsius. Keep children and pets safely away from the hot stove and oil during this process.
7. Drop the dough balls into the hot oil in small batches, frying for 3 to 4 minutes total, turning them halfway through until they are an even golden-brown colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
8. Reheat the syrup gently if it has cooled. Drop the warm koesisters into the simmering syrup for about 30 seconds, turning them so they absorb the sweetness evenly. Lift them out and immediately roll them in the desiccated coconut until well coated.

Tips

Ensure your oil is kept at a steady 180 degrees Celsius so the koesisters cook through to the center without burning the outside. If the oil is too hot, the centers will remain raw while the exterior darkens too quickly.

Serving suggestions

Serve these traditional treats warm on a Sunday morning alongside a strong cup of rooibos tea or spiced coffee for an authentic Cape heritage experience.