Tips for making rusks
When adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, it may be necessary to add a little more liquid. Use water or milk.
You can either form the mixture into balls and pack them into baking trays or press the whole mixture into an oven tray and then cut it into the desired shape after it has baked.
I found that if the baked rusk mixture is well cooled before you cut it into the desired shape, you have less waste from crumbling while slicing.
Using an electric knife makes slicing rusks much easier.
If you form the mixture into balls and pack them into trays, a sharp serrated knife works better to cut the rusks before removing them from the pan. This helps the rusks stay in a more uniform shape.
BUTTERMILK RUSKS
Makes about 60
1kg self-raising flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
500ml sugar
300g butter, cubed
15ml aniseed
4 eggs
500ml buttermilk
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the aniseed.
Combine the eggs and buttermilk and mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough.
Press the dough into a 30x40cm greased deep roasting tin. Bake at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cut into slices widthwise then cut the slices into chunks. Place on a flat baking tray and return to the oven at 50°C to dry out overnight.
Store the rusks in an airtight container.
SEED AND NUT RUSKS
Makes about 60
1kg self-raising flour
15ml baking powder
250ml brown sugar
500ml bran flakes cereal
500ml mixed seeds
100g pecan nuts, chopped
100g slivered almonds, lightly toasted
375g butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
500ml buttermilk
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cereal, seeds and nuts in a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Mix together the melted butter, eggs and buttermilk. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough.
Press the dough into a well-greased 30x40cm deep baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.
Cool completely. Slice into rusks the size you require and place on a baking try.
Return to the oven and dry out at 50°C overnight.
Store in an airtight container.
TROPICAL RUSKS
Makes about 60
1kg bran-rich self-raising flour
15ml baking powder
250ml light brown sugar
200g dried pineapple, chopped
200g desiccated coconut, lightly toasted
2 eggs, beaten
350g butter, melted
500ml buttermilk
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, pineapple and coconut in a large bowl and mix well. Combine the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk and mix.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough.
Form spoonfuls of dough into balls and pack into a well-greased 30-40cm oven pan. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes then turn out on to a cooling rack.
Break the rusks apart and pack on to a flat baking tray.
Turn the oven down to 50°C. Return the rusks to the oven to dry out overnight.
Pack into airtight containers to store.
LEMON, POPPY SEED AND CRANBERRY RUSKS
Makes about 60
1kg self-raising flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
350g butter, cubed
250ml sugar
grated rind of 2 lemons
180ml poppy seeds
500ml dried cranberries
3 eggs
500ml buttermilk
Put flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Mix in the sugar, lemon rind, poppy seeds and cranberries.
Combine the eggs and buttermilk and mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough.
Press the mixture into a well-greased 30x40cm deep roasting pan. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the tray comes out clean. Remove and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Cut into the size you prefer and pack on to a baking tray. Reduce the oven temperature to 50°C and return the rusks to dry out overnight.
Store in an airtight container.
LOW-GI RUSKS
Makes about 60
1kg bran-rich self-raising flour
15ml baking powder
5ml salt
250ml oat bran
500ml bran flake cereal
250ml mixed seeds
250ml Xylitol sweetener
500g plain yoghurt
300g butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, oat bran, cereal, seeds and Xylitol in a bowl and mix well.
Combine the yoghurt, melted butter and eggs and mix well. Add to the dry ingredients, using a little extra water if necessary, to make a stiff dough.
Press the dough into a well-greased 30x40cm deep oven roasting tray. Bake at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the mixture comes out clean. Remove and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cut into the desired size. Place on a baking tray and return to the oven at 50°C to dry out overnight. Store in an airtight container. - The Star