FIG AND PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
Makes about 50
580ml flour
60ml polenta
10ml baking powder
250ml castor sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
100g dried figs, chopped
100g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
4 eggs, beaten
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl combine the flour, polenta, baking powder, castor sugar, lemon rind, figs and nuts and mix well. Add the eggs and mix to form a softish dough.
Using floured hands, divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a log on a baking tray lined with non stick baking paper.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the logs are pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the logs comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Using a sharp serrated knife to cut the logs into diagonal slices about 1cm thick. Place the slices on to a baking tray and return to the oven at 150°C for 15-20 minutes until dried out. Remove and cool, then store in an airtight container.
MUESLI RUSKS
Makes 50-60
1kg self raising flour
5ml salt
500ml muesli
500ml bran flake cereal
375ml sugar
20ml baking powder
3 eggs
500g butter, melted
500ml buttermilk
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Combine the flour, salt, muesli, cereal, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well.
Combine the eggs, butter and buttermilk and mix well. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough. Press the dough into a 40 x 50cm greased oven roasting pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the pan comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Cut the slab into slices and then into fingers and place on an oven tray. Dry out in the oven at 50°C overnight if possible or for at least 6 to 8 hours. Store in an airtight container.
BRAN AND SEED RUSCOTTI
Makes about 100 slices. This is a rusk mixture shaped and baked like biscotti
1kg self-raising flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
375ml sugar
500ml digestive bran
500ml bran flake cereal
250ml mixed seeds
100g pecan nuts, chopped
250g butter, melted
500-600ml buttermilk
3 eggs, beaten
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the bran, cereal, seeds and nuts and mix well.
Combine the butter, buttermilk and eggs and mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a stiff dough.
Divide the dough into four portions. Shape each portion into a log and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the mixture comes out clean and the logs are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. Slice the logs into slices 1.5cm thick and place on a baking tray.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C and return the trays to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the slices are dried out and crisp. Store in an airtight container.
CONDENSED MILK RUSKS
Makes about 50-60
385g can of condensed milk
125ml sugar
125g butter, chopped
10ml salt
15ml aniseed
500ml boiling water
10 x 250ml cake flour
2 x 10g sachets of instant yeast
2 eggs, beaten
warm water to mix
extra beaten egg for glazing
Put the condensed milk, sugar, butter, salt and aniseed into a bowl. Add the boiling water and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
Combine the flour and yeast in a bowl and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and cooled condensed milk liquid with enough lukewarm water to mix to a dough that is soft but not sticky.
Knead well until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a lightly floured bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside in a warm place and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Remove the dough from the bowl and knead lightly. Break off pieces about the size of a golf ball and shape into a ball. Pack these into a greased loaf pan. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
Brush with egg glaze and bake at 180°C for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and cool the loaves in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing.
While still warm break the loaf into buns and place on a baking tray.
Reduce the oven to 50°C and dry out overnight.
Store in airtight containers.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE BISCOTTI
Makes about 50
500ml flour
10ml baking powder
250ml castor sugar
100g blanched whole almonds
125g white chocolate, roughly chopped
grated rind of 1 orange
4 eggs, beaten
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Combine the flour, baking powder, castor sugar, almonds, chocolate and orange rind in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the eggs and mix to form a softish dough.
Using well floured hands, shape the mixture into two logs about 20cm in length. Place on a baking tray which has been lined with non-stick baking paper.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the logs comes out clean. Remove and cool completely.
Cut the logs into 1cm thick slices and place on a baking tray. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C and bake the slices for another 10 to 15 minutes until pale golden brown.
Remove and cool. - The Star