Buttermilk Rusks/Beskuit

Rusks, also known as "beskuit" in Afrikaans, are crunchy tea time treats that are typically dipped in coffee or tea to slightly soften them. The goal is to soften them just enough without causing them to break and fall into your drink.

The distinctive flavor of these rusks comes from buttermilk. While buttermilk may not always be readily available, you can easily make a substitute using the directions provided in Note 3 below.

Ingredients

¼ kg unbleached white flour
¼ kg bread flour, whole wheat, coarsely ground if possible
(You can substitute all the flour for ½ kg of All Purpose flour)
1 tsp table salt
3 tsp baking soda (bicarb/bread soda)
2 tsp baking powder
300 grams buttermilk
1 egg (large)
165 grams white granulated sugar (caster or granulated)
125 grams butter
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp cinnamon

OR

2 cups unbleached white flour
2 cups bread flour, whole wheat, coarsely ground if possible
(You can substitute all the flour for 4 cups of All Purpose flour)
1 tsp table salt
3 tsp baking soda (bicarb/bread soda)
2 tsp baking powder
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 egg (large)
⅚ cups white granulated sugar (caster or granulated)
½ cups butter
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tsp Almond extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/355F. Grease two loaf tins or vessels of your choice for the rusks.

2. Start by weighing out the flour. Add salt and baking soda to the flour, then whisk these ingredients together to remove any lumps and ensure even distribution of the salt, baking soda, and leaveners throughout the flour.

3. Melt the butter either in the microwave or on the stove-top. Once melted, add sugar and vigorously whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the butter has thickened, appearing smooth and shiny. This process may take a minute or two. If needed, heat the butter and sugar for an additional 20 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached. Allow the butter to cool.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.

5. Combine the butter mixture and buttermilk mixture with the flour. Mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until well combined.

6. Knead the dough a few times by hand until it forms a smooth-ish consistency. We want some gluten development, but we're not aiming for bread dough.

7. If making sliced buttermilk rusks, divide the dough between your greased loaf tins and press it into place. Alternatively, you can use a square cake tin or large roasting dish.

8. Bake the dough in the loaf tins for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester at the 30, 45, and 60-minute marks. When the toothpick comes out clean, the first bake is complete.

9. Allow the rusks to cool completely before tearing apart or slicing them.

10. When slicing the rusks, aim for pieces about 2-3cm x 2-3cm (1 inch x 1 inch) in size.

11. Place the sliced rusks on oven racks and set your oven to a maximum of 110 degrees Celsius (cool oven), preferably with the fan on to aid in drying the rusks. Depending on the thickness of your rusks, the drying process can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. Rusks measuring about 2-3cm x 2-3cm typically take about 2 hours to dry, while thicker rusks may take 4 to 5 hours.

Notes

1. To make self-raising flour from plain flour, use half-teaspoon baking powder and half-teaspoon bicarbonate soda for every 150g/1 cup of plain flour.

2. For fan-forced or fan-assisted ovens, decrease the temperature by 20°C/25F.

3. You can make buttermilk at home by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to one cup of milk and letting it stand for about 10 minutes until the milk curdles. For this recipe, you will need 2 cups of milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

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