Rusks Take Two

I first made home baked rusks at the beginning of Autumn whilst pondering over breakfast ideas. They were delicious and very popular with Cameron but I wanted to try and make the recipe a bit more wholesome. Since then I've tried re-working the recipe a few ways, some worked, some did not! This is the best compromise I've come up with.

I use an electric hand mixer to make the dough but you can do it by hand too.

Recipe adapted from 'Sue's Rusks' in Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros

Makes about 25.

125g butter

200g plain flour

175g wholemeal flour

200g caster sugar

Large teaspoon baking powder

200ml milk

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Mix flour and butter. Add sugar and baking powder and mix in vinegar, and then (gradually) the milk until you have a smooth soft dough.

Grease a swiss roll tin (or any baking tray with sides) and flour it too.

Roughly divide dough into 3 and make each piece into a sausage shape, the length of your baking tray. Place them on the tray equally spaced (they will spread).

Bake at 180C for about 40 minutes or until the tops are golden and crusty.
Leave to cool slightly. Reduce heat of oven to 150C.

Cut them into (approximately) 3cm wide pieces and lay them on their sides, on a baking tray (you can usually use the same one).
Bake again for about 20 minutes on each side, to dry out. They should not be too toasted, but crumbly and firm.

When cooled, store in closed container or paper bag and they should keep for around 5 days.

As it turned out, Cameron wasn't all too bothered about warm breakfasts, but these rusks have become a part of our bedtime story routine with a cup of warm milk with honey and cinnamon.