Winter warming treats.How about some Buttermilk Rusks?

The humble Buttermilk rusk....a staple in any South African home, locally and abroad.

Always best when homemade!
I have to disagree with a statement in the latest TASTE magazine......"It's better to buy than to make......" I say, it is better to bake than to buy! Nothing beats the wonderful, welcoming aroma of freshly baked rusks drying out in the oven. This is the aroma that childhood memories are made of.

 Most South African families will have their favourite version of this crisp ,crumbly and crunchy "beskuit", or rusk.
In 1761 there is reference made in a recipe book, De Volmaakte Hollansche Keeukenmeid to rusks being baked by ladies of the Cape for the sailors of the Dutch East India Company.

Ingredients for the buttermilk rusk recipe.

My version of this traditional South African treat comes from my aunt. Thank you Aunty Olive, I bake these in your honour. 

Herewith the recipe:

2 kg Self -raising flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
500g butter
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 eggs
3 cups buttermilk
Cake flour for kneading
Oil for greasing

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Sift together all the dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream the butter, best at room temperature, until soft and fluffy.
Add the sugar and vanilla essence. Continue to cream until the sugar granules have dissolved.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed butter mixture. To prevent curdling, add a spoonful of the flour mixture with the addition of each egg.
Finally, add the buttermilk and beat to a smooth mixture.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and work into a soft dough. 
Knead the dough with extra cake flour until a soft, smooth dough is achieved.
Roll the dough into golf ball sized balls and place in a greased roasting pan, one next to the other.
This mixture will produce enough dough for two large roasting pans.
Bake in preheated oven until well risen and golden brown in colour.
Remove from oven and turn out onto a board. Break the rusks into portions. 
Break each portion in half again to form smaller rusks.
Return to the oven at a reduced temperature of  50 degrees C. 
Dry the rusks until crisp. Allow at least 4 hours.
Cool and store in airtight containers.
Watch them disappear!!!  
 
 

Creamed butter and sugar mixture with eggs and a little added flour to prevent curdling.

Rusk dough rolled into balls neatly packed in roasting pans.

Well risen and lightly browned, the rusks are nearly ready to be parted.

Individual rusks, crisp and crunchy....ready for dunking in a good cuppa!