Karoo Skuinskoek Posted on 24 June 2009 Sweet, sticky skuinskoek are a speciality of Williston – a tiny dorp in the Karoo – and the Hantham areas. They’re named after the diagonal shape that they’re cut into. This recipe comes from Elsa van Schalkwyk who modestly says she can’t take all the credit. ‘I took my mother’s recipe,’ she says, ‘then went round to all of the old tannies in the town and got theirs too and combined them.’ Skuinskoek are similar to vetkoek but oh so tasty! Incredible served with good coffee. You’ll need: 2,5kg flour 3 cups sugar 250g butter 30g instant dried yeast 1tsp grated ginger 1tsp ground cinnamon 15ml salt 25ml aniseed 2tsp grated lemon zest 2 litres of cooking oil SYRUP 2 cups sugar 750ml water 5ml salt Here’s how: Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl with four to five cups of lukewarm water until nice, smooth dough is formed. Leave in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 2,5cm. Horizontally slice the dough into strips about 2cm wide. Then slice the dough diagonally, each slice about 2cm apart again. You should have diagonal-shaped cookies! Keep them in a warm spot while you’re cooking. SYRUP: Boil the syrup ingredients together for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Use when lukewarm. Heat a pot of oil on the stove. To test the temperature, drop a piece of a toothpick in and if it sizzles, your oil is ready. Drop small batches of the skuinskoek into the oil and deep fry until they’re coffee-brown. Remove and place into an empty flour packet to absorb the excess oil. Remove and place in a sieve over a bowl and pour the syrup over them until they are coated and shiny. This gives them a longer shelf life but also makes them sticky and delicious. Enjoy with good coffee (preferably on a Karoo stoep!) Yours in food Leigh Related Posts 3 Wine estates to visit in KwaZulu Natal 31 May 2023 The Cape may be the wine capital of South Africa, but you can still enjoy... read more 11 alcohol-free drinks for the sober curious 26 May 2023 Ocsober and Dry January are all good and well, but how about a permanent shift... read more Treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience in Franschhoek 20 March 2023 If you love a unique fine dining experience, you'll want to treat yourself to the... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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