SA's top treats for an unforgettable high tea

Including a decadent chocolate Amarula thumbprint cookie recipe to seal in that South African flair.

Join us for a high tea inspired by South Africa’s top treats…

Syrupy Cape Dutch koeksisters

Makes 40 // Total Time 1 Hr

Ingredients

For the syrup

1kg sugar
3 cups water
½ cup lemon juice
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 lemon, zested

For the dough

5 cups flour, sifted
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup baking powder
1 1/3 cups milk
3 eggs
¼ cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
Oil, for frying

Method

Add sugar, water, lemon juice, cream of tartar, spices and lemon zest to a pot.
Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Boil syrup for 6 minutes, then switch off heat.
Decant syrup into a bowl and submerge in an ice bath until cooled. Then refrigerate until needed.
For the dough, sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the milk, eggs, butter and water.
Use a spoon to bring the dough together, then tip onto a floured work surface, knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth, adding more flour if too sticky.
Heat a pot of oil for frying.
Roll dough out into a long, thin rectangle. Cut dough into 3x4cm pieces.
Cut each piece into three smaller strips, leaving a small band at the top to keep them attached.
Braid the strips and pinch at both ends to finish.
Fry koeksisters in batches for 2-4 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove cold syrup from the fridge.
Immediately transfer hot koeksisters to the cold syrup and soak for a few minutes before placing on a drying rack to drain.
Repeat with remaining dough and serve.

Koeksisters vs koesisters

Lets clear the confusion: koeksisters and koesisters are TWO different pastries!

Koeksisters are a braided dough that is deep fried and soaked in cold syrup to form a crunchy exterior and chewy interior.

They don’t contain any yeast, only baking powder, which creates that classic pillowy look. With Cape Dutch origins, koeksisters are special to the Afrikaans community.

Koesisters are a Cape Malay delicacy. The fluffy, oval, doughnut-like pastry is flavoured with a whole host of warm spices, fried, soaked in hot sugar syrup and coated in desiccated coconut. Made to be shared, a fresh koesister celebrates the unique fusion of Malaysian cuisine and local flavours.

Also read: Spicy chicken biryani the Cape Malay way

Traditional Cape Malay koesisters

Makes 20 // Total Time 1 Hr, Plus Rising

Ingredients

For the dough

1 large potato, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender
¼ cup butter
1 cup warm milk
1 ½ cups water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 orange, zested
500g flour, firmly packed
1 tsp baking powder
1 sachet (10g) yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp cardamom
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp aniseed, whole
2 tsp mixed spice
Oil, for frying

For the syrup

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise

To serve

3 cups desiccated coconut

Method

For the dough, add warm potato, butter, milk, water, egg and orange zest to a bowl. Mix until combined.
Sift remaining dry ingredients into a separate large bowl.
Add wet mixture to dry and mix until it forms a shaggy dough.
Tip out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Oil a clean bowl, add dough, cover and set aside to rise for an hour, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, knock down to remove air. Place on a floured surface and divide dough into portions the size of a small potato.
Roll balls into ovals, pinching underneath to create a smooth surface.
Place koesisters on an oiled tray and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
Place syrup ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes until sticky.
Meanwhile, heat oil for frying.
Fry koesisters for 2-4 minutes until puffed and golden. Drain on kitchen towel.
Place coconut in a deep bowl.
Place koesisters in the syrup and boil 1-2 minutes until drenched.
Toss in coconut, place on a plate to serve.

Chef’s tip
Shake up the flavours and stuff koesisters with tangy lemon or orange curd.

White chocolate and rooibos fudge

Makes 20 Pieces // Total Time 45 Min, Plus Overnight Setting

Ingredients

For the rooibos fudge

125g butter
2 rooibos tea bags
1 ½ cans (roughly 575g) condensed milk
1 cup granulated sugar
80g white chocolate, chopped

For the white chocolate fudge

1 ½ cans (roughly 575g) condensed milk
125g butter
2 Tbsp syrup
1 cup sugar
150g white chocolate, chopped
25g pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
25g dried cranberries, roughly chopped (optional)
Sea salt

Method

Grease and line a 20x20cm square baking tray.
For the rooibos fudge, add butter, tea bags, condensed milk and sugar to small pot over medium heat.
Stir until everything has dissolved and the tea has infused into the mixture. Remove and discard the tea bags.
Cook for 15 minutes until bubbling and thickened.
Carefully pour fudge into tin and use a metal spatula to level.
Scatter chocolate over fudge and use a spatula to swirl through.
For the white chocolate fudge, add condensed milk, butter, syrup and sugar to a pot.
Increase heat to medium and stir constantly for 15 minutes, until bubbling and thickened. 9. Add white chocolate and stir until completely combined.
Carefully pour white chocolate fudge over rooibos fudge, followed by a sprinkling of pistachios and cranberries.
Scatter with sea salt and set aside to firm up overnight.
To serve, slice fudge into squares and arrange on a platter.

Chocolate Amarula thumbprint cookies

Makes 25-30 // Total Time 1 Hr

Ingredients

For the cookies

125g butter, room temperature
100g sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp instant coffee, mixed with 1 Tbsp hot water
140g flour
35g cocoa powder
½ tsp salt

For the caramel amarula ganache

50ml Amarula (optional)
½ tin (180g) Caramel Treat

Method

Beat butter until light and fluffy, add sugar and mix for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute.
Add egg, vanilla and coffee. Beat until incorporated.
Sift flour, cocoa and salt over wet mixture. Beat until just combined -this mixture should be firm.
Use a tablespoon to scoop out a ball. Roll between your palms and place on a tray. Use your thumb or a cork to make a deep indent in the middle. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate for 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Bake cookies for 9 minutes, remove and allow to cool on tray. The cookies will continue to cook once removed. Cool completely.
For the ganache, whisk Amarula and caramel until smooth.
Use a spoon, resealable bag or piping bag to fill each cookie with ganache. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Chef’s tip
For an alternative filling, heat 100m1 cream until scalding, then add 200g chopped chocolate (milk or dark) and stir to create a ganache.

Words by: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photographs: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Maltabella swirl with cookies and cream