Mouthwatering Rooibos Koeksisters

1. Combine sugar, water, red espresso, ginger, lemon peel, and lemon juice together in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool syrup to room temperature and transfer to a container before refrigerating overnight.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Add the milk and mix to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hours.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into long 2 cm thick sausages.

5. Slice strips into 10 cm pieces. Pinch the ends together to form a loop. Twist loops to form the koeksister shape. Repeat for all of the strips. Cover twisted strips with a clean cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.

6. Heat oil to 170C and deep-fry until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, immerse koeksisters into the chilled syrup for a minute. When cool, place on a wire rack. Refrigerate koeksisters until ready to serve. Serve cold.