Ouma’s recipes are always the best and I’m a sucker for a good rusk, so thank you Ouma Lilla!
Also, I didn’t even plan this but (life is weird) the day I posted this recipe on Instagram it happened to be ouma Lilla’s daughter’s birthday so, Louise, happy birthday! I hope this puts a smile on your face and brings back all the beautiful memories you shared with your mom 🤍🕊️
Rusks are similar to biscotti, for those who have never tried them before. They’re delicious as is and even better when dunked in some coffee or tea. South African rusks have a rich history rooted in the country’s cultural tapestry. Originating from the Dutch settlers, who brought their baking traditions to the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th century, rusks were adapted to suit the local ingredients and tastes. Originally, rusks were made from leftover bread dough, which was baked again to create a crunchy, long-lasting snack ideal for long journeys and to endure the warm climate.
Over time, the recipe evolved to include buttermilk or sour milk, which helped preserve the rusks and gave them their characteristic tangy flavor. Today, South African rusks are enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and are often dunked in coffee or tea, a tradition that harks back to their early days when they were used to soften hard bread for easier consumption.
Please note: I split the rusk dough into 2 large metal pans. Each were 30cm x 40cm x 5cm deep. Also, depending on the season or humidity in your home, the rusks might start to soften after a week or so if it’s not kept in an airtight container. If this happens, feel free to just pop them back into the oven for an hour or so at 90 degrees celsius. You’ll remove any unwanted moisture in a jiffy and they’ll taste as if you’ve just baked a fresh batch.
Ouma Lilla's rusks
Ingredients
- 1 kg flour self raising, see note 1
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 5 cups/200 grams bran wheat see note 2
- 3 cups/355 grams raw almonds see note 3
- 1 cup/115 grams muesli see note 4
- 2 large eggs
- 500 grams butter see note 5
- 500 ml buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups/325 grams sugar
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Melt sugar and butter together in a small bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, add buttermilk, eggs and sugar and mix well until mostly combined.
- Tip onto a clean working surface and knead until the batter is well combined. Note: It'll be quite sticking but refrain from adding any additional flour.
- Split the dough between two steel ovenproof pans. Note: there's no need to line the tray with butter or cooking spray. Cut/section the dough with a knife before you bake them for 40-45min at 180℃ / 356℉. Note: you can cut them as small or as big as you prefer them. Repeat with the second batch of rusks.
- Cut/section the baked rusks again, loosening them and carefully break the pieces apart. Spread evenly on a tray and bake at 90℃ / 194℉ for 2-4hrs or until they’re fully dry. Note: don’t fully close the door of the oven, just place a dry cloth in between the oven door and the oven to allow additional moisture to escape.
- Place the dried rusks in an airtight container. If might start softening over time, if so, just pop them back in the oven to dry out for an hour or so and you're good to go!
Video
Notes
- Flour: add an additional 3tsp baking powder if you're using all-purpose flour/cake flour and you aren't able to source self-raising flour.
- Bran wheat/digestive bran: is naturally high in fiber and very low in sodium. Digestive bran consists mainly of the outer layer of the wheat kernel. Added to food it provides a convenient way of increasing insoluble fiber intake.
- Nuts: you can use whatever nuts (or fruits) you like but I prefer using almonds.
- Muesli: You can use whatever muesli mix you prefer, just note that some muesli's weigh more than others deepening on what the muesli consists of. But 1 leveled cup of muesli will weigh between 115 and 125g. This won't break the recipe so don't worry too much about how much muesli you use.
- Butter: you can use salted or unsalted, I use salted. The additional 1/2 tsp salt with the salted butter is perfect but salt to your taste.
- Tray size: this dough delivers enough for 2 trays which were 30cm x 40cm x 5cm deep.
- Substitutions: For those of you who need dairy, egg and gluten free options I'd recommend, 1/3 cup flax eggs as an egg substitute. For the dairy, lactose free milk and acid (lemon juice/vinegar) mixture. You can feel free to use any gluten free flour, but I would then increase the baking powder amount by 1 tsp.