Rusks — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crunchy, twice-baked South African biscuits made with buttermilk and butter, designed to be dunked in coffee or rooibos until they soften into a crumbly, sweet mouthful.

Ingredients

500g self-raising flour
200g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
200g butter, melted
2 eggs
250ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1 Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
2 Whisk together melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3 Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed — do not overwork.
4 Press the dough into a greased baking tray, scored into finger-sized pieces.
5 Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40 minutes until golden brown.
6 Break into individual rusks along the score lines. Reduce oven to 80°C (175°F) and dry for 4-6 hours or overnight until completely dry and crunchy.

Did You Know?

Dunking a rusk in coffee or tea is a sacred South African ritual — the trick is to count to five while submerged, then eat quickly before it collapses into your cup.