Mentioned in the podcast, Roosterkoek is cooking bread dough on the braai (BBQ). The key is not to have your dough to runny as this might then fall through the grid of the braai and that would be one of the saddest things ever. In some supermarkets you can buy ready made dough but making your own is always better just to have a bit more of control. Starting ahead of time is key since the dough has to rise a few times.
For the recipe I had to turn to local South African braai legend Jan Braai. Here is my take on his Roosterkoek recipe.
To get the recipe for the peri-peri chicken wings and the caramel bread and butter pudding that went with this braai, follow the links to the recipes.
PREP: 1 HOUR COOCKING TIME: 15-20 minuets
MAKES: About 12 fair-sized roosterkoeke
Ingredients:
- 1 kg cake four or white bread flour plus some extra for dusting
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 10 g instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 600ml lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- Sift the flour and salt into a very big mixing bowl.
- Add the yeast, sugar and oil to a jug and add in your lukewarm water. Mix it well and let it sit and become frothy for about 10 minutes. This activates the yeast and the sugar helps with that.
- Now bit by bit mix the frothy water into the flour while kneading it. Use your hand from the get-go. Now this is the tricky part. If you have added all the water and it seems that the dough is still to runny add more flour. Do this bit by bit as well to ensure you get the right consistency. It should able to stretch if you pull it and not break as soon as you pull at it. If it is to dry add a bit more of water.
- Knead the dough well for about 10 minutes until none of it sticks to your fingers anymore. Do the stretch test again. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and put in a warm area for 10 minutes to rise.
- Take of the kitchen towel and knead the dough again for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Replace the kitchen towel and let it rise for at least 30 minutes.
- Now, on a floured surface, use your hands to punch back the dough to flatten it. Aim to create a rectangular or square piece of dough.
- Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into squares and let them rise for a few minutes one final time.
- And then for the magic; bake over very gentle fire for about 15–20 minutes, turning often. A roosterkoek is ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on it, just like bread. Serve the roosterkoek with butter, cheese and jam.
