Rusk – A Perfect South African Breakfast Biscuit

submitted by – Iori Miller, Inspired by – Amanda Scholtz

“We South Africans are very partial to rusks with that first cup of morning coffee! It’s what the US calls “double-baked”: the result with this recipe is a hard, chunky sweetish “rock” which you dunk in your coffee or tea to soften, then bite off. It doubles as a quick breakfast or an afternoon bite with tea and coffee. It’s an all-purpose snack and most houses are never without a tin of them. There are all kinds of variations including health and muesli rusks. They date back to the time when people trekked with oxwagons into the interior, when they needed foods that would keep.”  (Zurie, internet source)

Ingredients

• 4 lbs self raising flour 
• 1 lb pure butter firm
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 6 cups buttermilk to mix in (about)

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 180 deg C., and grease 2 flat, large cookie trays.
2. Use the coarse side of a grater, in a large bowl, grate the butter into the flour.
3. Use your hands to rub it in until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Add the salt and sugar.
5. Add the vanilla to the beaten eggs, and stir into the flour mixture (just roughly).
6. Add enough buttermilk to mix to the consistency of scone dough, i.e. soft and somewhat sticky, but not wet. You should need about 6 cups, more or less.
7. Have a bowl of quite warm water ready and dip your hands into it. Now form large balls of dough but do so lightly.
8. The balls should be about 1/3 smaller than tennis balls (sorry, hard if you can’t demonstrate!) Pack these, touching one another, on the greased tins. Do not pack close to the edges of the tins, as the dough will rise considerably.
9. Baking time depends on the size of the balls — generally about 45 mins – 60 minutes. The rusks should be well-risen and golden-brown on top. Don’t let them burn.  
10. Cool in tins, but they don’t have to be cold to proceed:
11. Use a serrated knife (some people simply break up the soft rusks) and cut into shapes convenient for handling — about 3 inches in length and 1 1/2 inches in width. 
12. They crumble a lot — don’t worry, it can’t be helped. Put he crumbs out for the birds.
13. Using the same trays, stack loosely and at an angle, one row supporting the next.
14. Dry overnight in a cool oven of about 80 deg C, with the oven door wedged open a crack. They must dry out completely.
15. Next day make sure rusks are dry, cool well, and keep in airtight tins.