Buttermilk Bran Rusks
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Cook Time: 4-5 Hours
Total Time: 5 Hours 20 Mins
Serves: 30-35 rusks
I fell in love with rusks when I visited Cape Town for the first time. Rusks are so commonplace that there are entire sections of an aisle dedicated to rusks at any supermarket. On a nice summer evening, I would enjoy the sunset with a rusk dunked into a cup of rooibos. Check out my rooibos late oatmeal for more South African-inspired recipes. When I returned to Montreal, I wanted to make some so I got a recipe from my South African mother-in-law.
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, room temperature cut into 2cm cubes
3 cups all bran flakes
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl mix the flour with the salt and baking powder. Add the cubes of butter and massage it by hand until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Incorporate the bran flakes and sugar.
Beat the egg and buttermilk together in a separate bowl and then add to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake for about an hour until a toothpick comes out clean.
Wait for it to cool completely and then slice into 2.5cm slices. Then cut each slice vertically into 4 pieces.
Preheat the oven to 210F. Put the cut rusks on a baking tray and bake for 4-5 hours. Flip them occasionally for even browning. They are done when they are completely dried out, just ensure not to overcook them as they get harder and harder as they dry out. Enjoy the rusks dipped in tea or coffee.
