Why your koeksisters are coming out dry and hard, and how to fix them

The perfect koeksister should be crisp and golden on the outside, with a soft, syrup-soaked centre and enough spiced syrup clinging to every twist and braid.

There are few things more disappointing than spending time making koeksisters , only to bite into one and find it hard, dry and not sweet enough.

The perfect koeksister has a very particular texture. It should be crisp and golden on the outside, with a soft, syrup-soaked centre and enough spiced syrup clinging to every twist and braid.

Usually, it is not one single mistake. The consistency of the dough , the temperature of the oil, how long the koeksisters are fried and, most importantly, the syrup can all affect the final result.

The good news is that these problems are usually easy to correct once you know what to look for.

If the batch is already made and has turned out harder than you wanted, check the syrup first.

If it has become too thick, adjust it according to the original recipe and chill it properly.

You can then give the koeksisters another quick dip in the cold syrup.

This will not completely reverse koeksisters that have been badly over-fried, but the additional syrup can help soften them.

Kneading the dough for too long can also leave you with a tougher texture.

Once the ingredients have come together and the dough is smooth enough to work with, let it rest according to the recipe.

Resting gives the gluten time to relax and makes the dough easier to roll and shape.

There is no need to keep kneading simply to make the dough feel smoother.

The temperature of the oil is one of the biggest factors in getting the texture right.