Koesisters with Rose Syrup Travel the world in your kitchen

These spiced and syrup-soaked coconut-dusted treats appear whenever family gathers – and especially on Sunday mornings. We’ve added a floral note that calls to mind that other Cape Malay treat, a creamy drink called boeber. MakeS 24–30

3 cups flour

3 T brown sugar

1½t baking powder a pinch of salt

1t ground cardamom

1 t ground ginger

1 t cinnamon

1t ground aniseed

1 t instant yeast

1T butter, melted

¾ cup lukewarm water ¾ cup milk

1 large egg

1T oil, plus 4 cups for frying 2 cups desiccated coconut

For the syrup:

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar 2 T rose water

1 Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, spices and yeast in a large bowl. 2 Pour the water, milk, egg, butter and oil into a jug, and whisk with a fork until combined.

3 Gradually add this liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.

4 Cover the bowl with a cloth

and leave to rise for an hour in a warm place. 5 Tip the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a sausage shape. Cut it into 2cm slices. 6 Allow the dough slices to proof (leave space between them to expand) for an hour. 7 While the dough is rising, prepare the rose syrup. Gently stir the water and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. 8 Turn up the heat to boiling, add the rose water and turn the heat

off. 9 Gently press pieces of dough into oval shapes (don’t work it too much or it’ll become ‘heavy’). 10 Heat oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat and fry koesisters in batches, a few minutes per side, until deep golden. 11 Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 12 Dunk each one in rose syrup, remove and quickly roll in coconut (be careful as they’ll still be hot). Serve while they’re warm.