HOW TO BAKE BUTTERMILK RUSKS

HOW TO BAKE BUTTERMILK RUSKS

Ingredients

1 kg self-raising flour

5 ml baking powder

5 ml salt

5 – 10 ml aniseed (optional)

200 g / 250 ml sugar

Optional additional ingredients

Select one kind or combine to make up 250 ml

± 250 ml desiccated coconut or

± 250 ml molasses bran or

High Bulk Bran or crushed All Bran Flakes (breakfast cereal) or

± 250 ml mixed seeds and coarsely chopped nuts or

250 ml toasted muesli

250 g / 280 ml Clover Mooi River Salted Choice Butter

375 ml buttermilk

125 ml Clover Sour Cream or additional buttermilk

2 eggs

To Finish (optional)

30 ml reserved egg mixture

30 ml sesame seeds

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a deep oven roasting pan (± 35 x 25 x 6 cm) or 2 large loaf tins (28 x 12 x 8cm) generously with butter. Sprinkle sesame seeds sparingly over the base of the tin.

Place the dry ingredients and butter in a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter with the fingertips and between the palms of the hands until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the variable ingredients if used and make a well in the center.

Mix the buttermilk, sour cream (if used), and eggs and reserve 30 ml for the topping. Add the mixture to the well and mix to a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Pinch off golf ball size portions of dough, roll between the palms of the hands to make slightly oval and pack into the prepared pan or tins, just touching.

If used, brush the reserved egg mixture over the rusks to glaze. Sprinkle sparingly with sesame seeds and bake for about 35 minutes or until light golden and firm and a metal skewer inserted comes out clean. If the rusks brown quite soon, turn down the oven temperature to 160°C to prevent further browning and cover with foil.

Cool in the pan or tins for a short while, turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Break the rusks apart with the aid of the prongs of a fork and place onto baking trays. Set the oven to very slow (about 60°C) and return the rusks to the oven for about 5 – 6 hours to dry out slowly and completely without browning. Cool and store in airtight containers.

Source: Kampvuur Kuier