When I was completing my bachelors degree in South Africa I came to appreciate much of the South African cuisine. One of my favorites was the rusk. A rusk is basically a very hard, dry biscuit. It has been called the South Africa biscotti, I think of it more as just plain comfort food. It can be consumed any time day or night and is best dunked in a hot cup of rooibos tea. Rusks come from the early pioneer days in South Africa as a way of preserving bread, and while it is often made at home, the most loved of all rusks is a mass produced brand called Ouma. Every time I come back from South Africa I am sure to have at least a couple of boxes of Ouma tucked away in my luggage.
Unfortunately, Ouma Rusks are a tad bit expensive if you want to order them in the US. And I have yet to find a store that carries the beloved treat. So, for the past several years I have been on a quest to bake the perfect rusk recipe. It is still not Ouma, but I am getting closer.
This is a recipe that I found online on a blog called Food and Family and it is as close as I have gotten to Ouma.
South African Buttermilk Rusks -The Recipe
2lb 12oz flour (I 2 lbs wholemeal and the rest white)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons of salt
9oz butter
½ cup raisins (optional or add mixed seeds too)
2 eggs
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oil
Preheat the oven to 380F
Grease three loaf tins of base measurement 8x4 inches or any combination of deep baking dish that adds up to about the same.
In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and salt. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour (I like to do this with my fingers). Add the raisins if you are using them. You can experiment with various nuts and seeds as well, though the rusks are equally good plain.
In another bowl mix together the buttermilk, sugar, eggs and oil and beat until well combined.
Stir liquid into dry ingredients and mix then knead to a firm dough.
Form the dough into balls about the size of a ping-pong/golf ball and pack them tightly in one layer into the loaf tins.
I usually get six rows of three into each of my tins. Bake for 45 minutes.
Turn out onto a rack and leave to cool for 30 minutes before breaking up into individual rusks along the joins of the balls. Dry in a low oven 100C/200F for 4-5 hours until the center is completely dry. These can be kept for ages in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
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I grew up in SA... and live in the Bay Area now as well. Ouma Rusks are AWESOME. I found your blog entry while trying to figure out where I could buy some. haha. Cost Plus World Market stores used to carry them a while back but not anymore. :( I'm hopeless at baking, but I might have to try your recipe. Thanks.
Awesome site btw. Great photos.
(12.21.09)Hey Joseph! We just got back from South Africa yesterday. I promise you I had Ouma rusks EVERYDAY. My rusks aren't as good, but they are close. I promise the recipe is fairly simple. Give it a try!
(01.13.10)Hi there just ran across your blog! Great pictures! My husband is South African (also a photographer) I am trying to find a good rusk recipe for him! I want try this recipe! I do not have a scale so how much flour is 2 lb 12 oz of flour? and also I think 9 oz butter is 1 1/4 pounds of butter. Am I right?
THank you!
(03.24.10)Hello Michelle, it is great to hear from you. Where are you two living at the moment? It is so nice to have something from home and these rusks are pretty close! I am not sure about the conversions of the measurements, but you should be able to goggle 'cooking conversions' and find out. Enjoy the recipe and let me know how it turns out! Happy baking!
(03.24.10)Hi there just ran across your blog! Great pictures! My husband is South African (also a photographer) I am trying to find a good rusk recipe for him! I want try this recipe! I do not have a scale so how much flour is 2 lb 12 oz of flour? and also I think 9 oz butter is 1 1/4 pounds of butter. Am I right?
THank you!
(03.24.10)Hey there! We live in Phoenix, AZ! I tried another rusk recipe last week but he said that it did not taste good. I am hoping I can get these right! He is really missing South African food! Thanks for answering so quickly!
(03.25.10)@ Michelle, 2lb 12oz of flour would be about 10 cups of flour. Seeing that there are only 16oz in 1lb I don't think that 9oz of butter is 1 1/4lb of butter. 9oz would be just a touch over 1/2lb butter.
(03.09.11)