Mosbolletjies are soft and sweet aniseed flavoured breads that are similar to brioche in texture and appearance. They were introduced to the Western Cape region by the French Huguenots, who settled in Franschhoek in the late 17th century. Traditionally, they were made with grape ‘must’ (fermented grape juice), which was used as a raising agent. Nowadays, grape ‘must’ has been replaced by yeast. Moskonfyt is grape ‘must’ syrup made from fermented grape juice, which has been reduced to a thick syrup. Our version is made with fresh grapes and plums
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Proofing Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Cook time | 60 minutes |
| Serves | 4-6 |
| Cuisine | South African |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Preparation | Hard |
| Calories | 319 |
| Fat | 13.8g |
| Saturates | 7.9g |
| Protein | 13.71g |
| Carbs | 116.3g |
| Sugars | 26.8g |
| Given the cook-at-home nature of Spinneys and natural variations in ingredients, nutritional information is approximated. See details | |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFPreheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 21cm x 11cm x 7cm loaf tin with baking spray or melted butter.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, 40g sugar, yeast and aniseed. Using a dough hook or spoon, mix briefly.
Heat the grape juice gently in a small saucepan and add the butter to melt. Stir until combined. Remove from heat. Add the warm juice-butter mix, along with the milk and water, to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed (or by hand) for approx. 10 minutes until a soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth or cling film, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 20-30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size.
Knock down the dough and form into 6 equal-sized balls by pushing the dough through a circle made with your thumb and forefinger. Lightly grease your hands if the dough is sticky.
Pack the 6 balls tightly into the greased loaf tin. Proof again in a warm place for 20-30 minutes until well risen. This step is crucial for the signature soft, fluffy texture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the tin immediately to prevent sweating.
Melt the apricot jam and brush generously over the top of the loaf while still warm.
To make the moskonfyt, halve the grapes, pit and quarter the plums, and zest and juice the lemon. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the fruit, sugar, lemon zest, juice, cinnamon, cloves (if using) and a pinch of salt over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and gently mash the fruit as it softens. Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until thickened and jammy. Remove the cinnamon stick. Let it cool slightly before transferring to sterilised jars, or serve with freshly baked mosbolletjies.
Tear apart the warm mosbolletjies and serve with a spoonful of the plum and grape moskonfyt and a smear of butter, if desired.
