South African Rusks
- Ready In:
- 12hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Yields:
-
24 rusks approx
ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached white flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (coarsely ground if possible)
- 1⁄3 cup sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄2 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.
- Combine all the wet ingredients, pour them into the dry ingredients, and stir until you have a soft dough, similar to biscuit dough.
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll or pat it to about a 1/2 inch thickness.
- Cut the dough into rectangles about 2 by 4 inches.
- Bake the rusks about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheet for about 25 minutes until the tops are crisping and browning a little.
- Loosely pile the rusks on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree oven all day or all night (about 12 hours) to dry.
- The finished rusks should be very dry and hard.
- Cool and store in an airtight container.
- Rusks will keep for weeks.
- Variations Oatmeal-Raisin Rusks: Reduce the white flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 2 cups rolled oats and 1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins.
- Almond Rusks: Add 1 cup chopped almonds and omit the cinnamon.
- Peanut Rusks: Add 1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts.
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Reviews
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This recipe is just what I have been looking for. It most closely matches the rusks we had in SA. We had them mostly while on safari, but we also found them in the supermarkets (Super Spar) around SA. I just made my first batch and they came out just as I remember them, hard as rocks with flavor, ready for dipping. This is definitely a keeper. I love them.
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These rusks were lovely, after reading the other reviews I did make some changes, because I am a lazy cook, I used five cups of self raising flour instead of the flour and baking powder in the recipe. 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and 500ml buttermilk, the rest was as is. All the other rusk recipes I have seen and used called for 250 to 500gr butter, so this was perfect for a low fat treat. I will be making another batch this weekend, Because it was very gooey, I will try pouring the mixture into a baking dish and then cut up before drying out. will let you know how it works. thank you.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Norahs Girl
Scottburgh, KZN
I,m a Mum of 3 (26,22,and 19)They keep me on my toes so to speak!!!!!! and rapidly heading for Hair dye.
I live in Sunny South Africa but I,m of Welsh(uk)decent!
I use to be(before the joys of Motherhood and domestic bliss Ha HA!) a nurse specialising in Oncology(Cancer nursing).Now I,m a stay at home Mum(although I,m a part-time secretary for DH,s small business.)
I,ve lots I want to do in the pipeline now the children are getting older!I love to cook,its one of my passions,besides cooking I love to Read and enjoy anything from Medical thrillers,historical epics! to a good old mystery the more complex the better!
On my to do list is learning to quilt,knit fair isle and bottle preserves properly! I live at the Coast and have done so for the last 5 years,its certainly a slower pace of life here than when we lived in the city.
There is something very restful about living so close to the Sea even the storms are spectacular to watch.One of My wishes is to spend a weekend in a Light house,preferably in rough weather!
I,m also *Mum* to 4 dogs(all girls!)Millie the boxer,Jessie the cross border collie who is slightly mad to say the least!and my 2 little Jack Russells Molly and Mandy who have me running about all over the place I wish I had their energy!I,de bottle it and make a fortune!