Koeksisters is a traditional South African confectionary. It is prepared by frying plaited dough in oil and then soaking it in ice cold syrup. These sticky sweet treats have a crunchy exterior and a syrupy centre – they are to die for! Have you tried Ouma Rooi Koeksisters?
Gerda Swanepoel learnt to bake koeksisters from her mother, Jeanette van der Westhuizen (1923 – 2006), also known as Ouma Rooi. Ouma Rooi was known for her delicious koeksisters in the Bronkhorstspruit area in Gauteng.
Gerda, aka “Number 18” at Tuiskoop, a home industry in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, became known for her delicious koeksisters short after she joined Tuiskoop in 1985. Tuiskoop was started almost 50 years ago as a Co-op by a group of farmers’ wives in the Ermelo district to provide an outlet for their home-made products and crafts.
When Gerda’s mom passed away in 2006, she decided to honour her mom’s memory by founding Ouma Rooi Koeksisters using her mom’s recipe. Gerda has been baking koeksisters for 32 years. In 2012 she was runner up of the Huletts Koeksister Of The Year competition. In 2014 she walked away with the title. Once you’ve tasted Gerda’s koeksisters, you will know why!
In 2015 she impressed the judges and viewers alike with her koeksister plaiting technique when she came 3rd in Koekedoor 3, the popular Afrikaans culinary reality TV Show. According to Gerda, being a contestant on Koekedoor had a very positive impact on Ouma Rooi Koeksisters. Before Koekedoor was aired, they baked about 500 dozen (that is 6000!) koeksisters per day. They are now baking more than 2 700 dozen per day – a whopping 32 400 koeksisters! Ouma Rooi Koeksisters has 42 staff who work in two shifts – a 05:00 to 19:00 shift, and a 19:00 to 05:00 shift – to get all the thousands of koeksisters baked.
Ouma Rooi Koeksisters opened a branch in Cape Town in 2015 which is run by husband and wife team Jeanelle and Johann de Villiers (Jeanelle is Gerda’s daughter).
According to Gerda the success of Ouma Rooi Koeksisters can be ascribed to:
- the best koeksister recipe
- her passion for baking
- the use of quality ingredients – no unnatural ingredients or flavourants are used
- the fact that they use fresh oil fry every batch of koeksisters
- personal supervision of the koeksister making
- diligent staff
- exposure in the media after winning the HULETTS Koeksister competition in 2014 and competing in Koekedoor 3 in 2015
- the ongoing support from her kids, friends, family and clients
Click here for a YouTube video of Gerda demonstrating the unique crochet-like plaiting technique of Ouma Rooi Koeksisters.
Ouma Rooi Koeksisters is a finalist in the Shoprite Group Supplier Awards 2017. Ouma Rooi Koeksisters are now available at selected Checkers outlets.
Tel: 062 209 9609
Main branch: Shop 2, Engen Centre, Corner of Church & Voortrekker streets, Ermelo
Tel: 017 8111 712 or 082 805 2255
Cape Town branch: Nr 12, Hangar 17, 17th Avenue, Maitland
Tel: 062 209 9609
E-mail: info@oumarooi.co.za
www.oumarooi.com
https://www.facebook.com/oumarooi/
Twitter: @dvine.gerda
Be sure to try Carolié de Koster’s Koeksister recipe from the popular Art Of Cooking Recipe book (p. 749).
The Ouma Rooi Stand at the Mosaiek Expo in Fairlands, JHB (buy them there until 4 November.
Gerda Swanepeol and her team after being crowned the HULETTS Koeksister Champion of 2014.