Pampoenkoekies Recipe

Freshly made pampoenkoekies, South African pumpkin fritters, drizzled with homemade caramel sauce for a decadent treat.

Light, fluffy, and delightfully tender, these pumpkin fritters melt in your mouth. Drizzle them with rich, buttery caramel sauce for an indulgent pumpkin treat that’s pure dessert heaven.

Makes about 16 fritters

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine African

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Servings

Calories 418kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Pumpkin Fritters

1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree or mashed pumpkin
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
2 tablespoons (12-13g) sugar
¼ cup (60g) milk
½ teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (2g) freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon (1g) ground allspice
¼ teaspoon (1-2g) salt
1 large egg
oil for deep-frying

Caramel Glaze

1 cup (200g) sugar
3 tablespoons (45g) water
¾ cup (180g) heavy cream
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (40g) light corn syrup

Instructions

Fritters

Combine all the ingredients: mashed pumpkin, flour, baking powder, sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and egg in a large bowl. Stir until everything has been fully combined.
Pour vegetable oil into a saucepan until it’s at least 3 inches (or about 8 centimeters) deep. If the oil isn’t deep enough, the fritters will flatten slightly. Heat over medium heat until the oil is 350℉ (180℃).
The dough will be sticky and light. Grab a little bit of mixture with your hands or scoop it up with a spoon, and gently drop it into the oil. Repeat until all the batter is used up. You’ll probably need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Fry for 2-3 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to soak up excess oil.
If desired, roll the hot fritters in cinnamon sugar or drizzle them with the caramel glaze.

Caramel Glaze

Stir the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan until well combined.
Heat over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes; how long depends on your stove. Swirl the saucepan if you feel the sides are getting browned too quickly. Do not stir it, as it will cause crystallization. Wipe the splatters down with a brush as the sugar caramelizes to a brown color for better flavor and even cooking.
Lower the heat, and gently add the cream and butter. It will sputter, so be careful. Stir the mixture to a smooth consistency, remove it from the heat, and let it cool.
Serve with or drizzle it over the fritters.

Notes

For thicker, more concentrated pumpkin puree, bake the pumpkin. If using steamed or boiled pumpkin, you may want to simmer the puree to thicken it and concentrate the flavor.
An immersion blender or blender is useful for a smoother puree. Keep mashing and mixing until there are no lumps.
Avoid overmixing for a lighter batter.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition