Makes 12

500ml cake flour
10ml baking powder
Pinch of salt
30g cold butter, diced
1 egg
60ml milk
60ml water

For the syrup:
1kg white sugar
1 lemon, zest peeled and juiced
2 thick slices fresh ginger root
2 cups water

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Rub in the butter and mix until the mixture is crumbly.
Whisk together the egg, milk and water then add enough to the flour mixture to form a soft, pliable dough.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until smooth, then cover and rest dough in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
While the dough rests, make the syrup – it needs to be chilled well before use.
In a large pot, combine the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger and water then stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the syrup to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes before removing the aromatics, setting aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cold.
Roll the chilled dough out into a rough rectangle (about 1/2cm thick), then cut into 12 strips (2cm width).
Cut each of these strips into three strips, not all the way through, leave the strips connected at the top, then plait the three pieces to form a braid. Press the pieces together at the end to secure so that they don’t unravel during cooking.
Heat oil to 180C then fry batches of the dough until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper.
Pour half the cold syrup into a bowl, then leave the rest in the fridge to stay cold.
Dip the hot koeksisters into the cold syrup and leave to soak for a few seconds before placing onto a wire rack.
Continue to fry then dip the koeksisters, changing the syrup over to ensure that it stays very cold.
Store koeksisters in an airtight container in the fridge.