A taste of home: Koeksisters and childhood memories

Spending weekends at my grandmother’s house when growing up was always a treat, not just because of how we were pampered endlessly, but because those visits came with the kind of warmth that only lived in her kitchen. From the moment we opened our eyes in the morning, the air was thick with the comforting scent of butter, sugar, and spices.

Of all the delightful treats she would bake, koeksisters were my favourite. Golden, syrup-coated twisted fried dough, crunchy on the outside and sticky-sweet on the inside. To a child with a sweet tooth like mine, they were pure magic.

The tradition was always the same. We would get out of bed, still woozy, only to find the kitchen counter lined with trays of freshly fried koeksisters, shining under the morning light. My grandmother would stand by the stove in her floral apron, a calm and steady presence, as she dropped another batch into hot oil and then swiftly dunked them into cold syrup. It was like a well-rehearsed dance – a blend of precision, love and tradition.

Though she baked many things, koeksisters held a special place in my heart. There was something so delicious and joyful about their sugary stickiness, the way they crunched between your teeth and then melted into syrupy softness. The ones sold at supermarkets could never come close to hers.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realise that it wasn’t just the taste of koeksisters that made them special. It was the feeling of being cared for, of waking up to something made with love, of being part of a tradition passed down through generations. Koeksisters were never just a treat – they were a symbol of home.

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or trying them for the first time, koeksisters are more than just a dessert – they’re a connection to family, to heritage, and to those golden mornings when everything felt right with the world.

Ingredients:

• 10 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (about 7g or 2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 cup sugar (for the dough)
• 2 cups sugar (additional, see method)
• 6 eggs
• 250g margarine
• Shredded or desiccated coconut (for sprinkling)
• 2 cups water

Method:

Prepare Dry Mixture:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, cinnamon, mixed spice, ground cloves, and 1 cup of sugar.
2. Add the margarine and rub it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add Wet Ingredients:

1. Beat the 6 eggs and add them to the mixture.
2. Pour in the buttermilk and 2 cups of water.
3. Add the remaining 2 cups of sugar.
4. Mix thoroughly until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. You can use your hands or a dough mixer.

Knead and Rise:

Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes, until elastic and smooth.

Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Shape and Second Rise:

1. Punch down the dough and divide it into greased loaf pans or shape into buns, as preferred.
2. Let the shaped dough rise again for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.

Bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Sprinkle shredded or desiccated coconut generously over the tops.
3. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool and Serve:

1. Allow the bread to cool slightly before removing from the pans.
2. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Compiled by Clement Matroos