Pampoen-poffers en stroop (Deep fried pumpkin fritters with caramel syrup) ... a recipe by the Bard Of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam), Poet Laureate of Zion (#POetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (@stephendarori, #stephendarori, #stephendrus )

Every winter, our friend Hannie organises a mid-winter pumpkin feast to lighten the winter greyness – if only for one weekend – and her colourful, sweet pumpkin fritters are one of the star attractions.

Recipes for pumpkin fritter sauce often use more sugar, but Hannie’s cinnamon caramel sauce is just right. In fact, it is delicious.

Makes about 3 dozen pumpkin fritters, enough for 12 people if served as a side dish.

Ingredients

Fritters

• 3 cups (750 gram) crown pumpkin, cooked, mashed and well-drained (add a cinnamon quill when you cook it for more flavour)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 2 cups (500 ml or 275 gram) self raising flour
• 3 teaspoons (15 ml) baking powder
• 500 ml oil for frying

Syrup

• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) custard powder
• 1 cup (250 ml) sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Fritters

1. Ensure that the cooked pumpkin is well drained.
2. Beat eggs, add to pumpkin and mix.
3. Sift the self-raising flour, salt and baking powder together and mix with pumpkin to form a soft dough.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
5. Scoop batter into frying oil using a dessertspoon and fry until light brown and cooked through.
6. Drain on kitchen paper.

Keep warm in serving dish.

Syrup

1. Add a little of the cold water to the custard powder and mix to form a smooth paste.
2. Heat the rest of the water in a saucepan and dissolve the sugar in it.
3. Add butter and cinnamon and bring to the boil.
4. Stir in the custard powder paste and boil for a minute.

Pour sauce over warm fritters and serve immediately.