Rusks are hard biscuits that are baked twice and can be traced back to Finnish, Dutch, German, or South African origins. They are often served with coffee or tea and can be made with a variety of nuts. To make them, mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream, then add flour, salt, baking soda, and nuts. Bake in a log shape, slice, and bake again until golden brown. Store in covered tins or cookie jars.
Rusks are hard biscuits similar to biscuits. Depending on who you talk to, rusks are said to have Finnish, Dutch, German or South African origins. Like biscuits, they are baked twice and are often served with coffee or tea, to be dunked in the hot drink.
To prepare the rusks, preheat an oven to 325°F (163°C). Beat 1/2 cup (118 mL) of unsalted butter until fluffy, then add 1/2 cup (118 mL) each of white and brown sugar. After the sugar and butter have been creamed, beat two eggs, one at a time. Next, add one teaspoon (5 mL) of vanilla extract and one-half cup (118 mL) of sour cream, beating until smooth.
Sift together 3 cups (710 mL) of unbleached white flour, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients for the rusks into the butter mixture a little at a time. When blended, add one cup of whole-wheat flour, one-half cup (120 mL) of finely chopped walnuts, and one-quarter cup (60 mL) of coarsely chopped walnuts. Walnuts and almonds are both commonly used, although other nuts can also be used. If the dough becomes too stiff to mix with a spoon, start mixing with your hands.
Roll the cookie dough into log-shaped rolls about an inch in diameter. Lay these long rolls on a baking sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until they turn a nice golden brown color. Remove the cookies from the oven and turn the oven down to 149°.
Next, slice the cooked “logs” diagonally, so the rusk slices are no more than half an inch thick. Place the slices, now lying flat side up (cut side down) back on the cookie sheets and bake them in the oven at 149°C for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides.
The rusks can now be removed from the oven and transferred to a cooling rack. When cold, the rusks are best stored in covered tins or cookie jars. Because they’re twice baked and meant to hold up well while steeped in coffee or tea, the rusks are long-lasting and won’t burn out quickly.
A variety of nuts can be used for rusks. Although almonds and walnuts are the most common, pine nuts and hazelnuts also make tasty cookies. If pine nuts are used for rusks, half of the volume must be left whole and half must be chopped. If hazelnuts are to be used, they should first be roasted in a 350°F (163°C) oven for 7 to 8 minutes, then let cool. When the nuts are cool, they can be rubbed with a towel to loosen the husks, then chopped.
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