SOUTH AFRICA - Rusks (but not for the Babies!)

Buttermilk rusks

Another thing I've seen in many a shop in South Africa is rusks. Different from the baby rusks, similar to biscotti most people dunk them in their coffee and eat them. There are many different types, with Buttermilk rusks a favorite, but with seeds, nuts and fruit added make perfect breakfast on the run!

Apparently, originally prepared in South Africa by the Dutch for traveling long distances in a hot climate.

Perfect with a cuppa Rooibus tea!

Recipe taken from http://www.sa-austin.com

Ingredients

4 lbs Flour (All-purpose flour or Cake flour or even a mix of the two)

25 ml (1 tbsp & 2 tsp) Baking Soda

50 ml (3 tbsp & 1 tsp) Cream of Tartar

10 ml (2 tsp) Salt

500 grams (1 lb) Butter or Margarine (cold)

250 ml (1 cup) Sugar

3 Eggs

500 to 750 ml (2 - 3 cups) Buttermilk

1 Tbsp Aniseed (optional), or seeds, fruit (raisins, peel etc)

Method

Sift the baking soda, cream of tartar and 1 cup of flour together (repeat 3 times).

Sift all the dry ingredients together. If you are using aniseed, add it too and mix well.

Grate the butter into the mixture and rub (to mix) through with fingers.

Beat the eggs, add the buttermilk, mix and then add to flour mixture. Mix together so that mixture is little runny, but still can be kneed. Kneed lightly until all ingredients are mixed well.

Make little balls (slightly bigger than a golfball) with mixture and place them (touching) into a greased breadpan.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 400 °F.

When your rusks have cooled slightly, break (or cut) them into pieces and dry overnight in a cool oven by placing the rusks directly on the oven grills. (Set the oven on "Warm" only and keep the oven door slightly open by wedging a teaspoon into the door at the top.)

Handy Hints For Your Rusks

More or less sugar can be used, or can even be totally left out - if needed.

If more rough rusks are desired, replace half of the flour with wheat flour.

The butter or margarine can also be melted and then mixed with the egg and buttermilk mixture (it creates a finer texture).

The flour, baking soda and creme or tartar can also be replaced by Self Raising Flour.