Pampoenpoffertjies – Pumpkin Fritters in a Syrup

Pumpkin Fritters, or Pampoenpoffertjies, as they are known in Afrikaans, is a delicious treat for Sunday lunches or special occasions. It is kinda like eating your main course and dessert at the same time! Before my husband moved here from the Netherlands, he had a huge disliking of pumpkin, after one serving of these he changed his mind. I came up with this recipe by trying and testing different ones and making my own combination, so here is my Pumpkin Fritter recipe.

Ingredients for the Fritters:

• 500 ml Cooked, Mashed Pumpkin
• 250 ml Self Raising Flour, if you don’t have any, use all purpose and just add 10 ml extra baking powder – I do this nearly each time I cook these
• 10 ml Baking Powder
• 2 Eggs
• Oil for deep frying

Ingredients for the Syrup:

• 325 ml Sugar
• 200 ml of Milk
• 40 ml Corn Starch
• 175 ml Cold Water
• 1 Cinnamon Stick or Powdered Cinnamon to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the fritters together really well, heat enough oil in a pot to deep fry (I usually use switch between the 4 and 5 setting one the stove for the right temperature) Drop dessert spoons full of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, drain on some brown paper or a kitchen towel.

While you are frying the fritters heat the milk and sugar in a pot together with the cinnamon, until it slowly starts to boil, dissolve the corn starch in the cold water and add it to the milk in a thin stream, let it thicken and turn the heat off.

When all your fritters are cooked, put them in a serving dish and pour the hot sauce over. Serve as a side dish to any meal!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my husband!