“Feriel Sonday has a very successful Facebook page entitled Feriel Sonday’s Heavenly Bites where she shares her much-loved recipes with her devoted followers. Her recipe makes the perfect Cape Malay bollas, and by perfect, I mean the lightest, fluffiest vanilla-infused bollas!”

Makes: 25 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 1 hour, including resting time and syruping

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP

2 C (500 ml) water

2½ C (625 ml) white sugar

FOR THE BATTER

4 C (4 × 250 ml) cake wheat flour

4 tsp (20 ml) baking powder

2 eggs

¾ C (200 ml) white sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla or caramel essence

¾ C (200 ml) canola or vegetable oil Pinch of salt

2 C (500 ml) buttermilk

FOR FINISHING

3 C (750 ml) canola or vegetable oil for deep-frying, or more depending on the size of the saucepan

1 C (250 ml) desiccated coconut

PREPARING THE SUGAR SYRUP

Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan on high heat.

Add the sugar and boil for 7–10 minutes or until the sugar has completely dissolved and the sugar syrup has thickened slightly. Set aside.

PREPARING THE BATTER

In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder twice and then set aside.

Place the eggs and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla essence and oil, and mix until creamy.

Gradually add half of the sifted flour, the salt and half of the buttermilk, and mix.

Add the rest of the flour and buttermilk and continue mixing to form a smooth batter.

Set aside for at least 30 minutes before frying.

PREPARING THE BOLLAS

Line a plate with paper towel and set aside.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a medium-size saucepan on medium to high heat for 12–15 minutes. (Drop a small teaspoon of the batter into the hot oil – if it floats to the top, the oil is ready.)

Place tablespoonsful of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning halfway.

Remove the bollas from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside on the paper towel-lined plate.

Reheat the syrup on a medium heat and drop about four bollas into the hot syrup.

Coat with the syrup until glossy, then set aside on a serving plate or platter and sprinkle with the desiccated coconut.

Extracted from Modern Cape Malay Cooking by Cariema Isaacs, out now.