Almond Rusk Recipes

CANTUCCINI BISCOTTI

Steps:

• PREHEAT the oven to 180/350/gas 4. GREASE a 28cm round shallow cake tin with a little butter and line with baking parchment. MELT the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, remove from the heat and leave to cool. MIX together in a large bowl the flour, almonds, sugar, salt and baking powder. ADD the eggs, cognac, vanilla extract and orange zest. STIR together until well combined. ADD the cooled butter to the flour mixture and mix until it starts to form a dough - it will be quite crumbly. PRESS the dough into the base of the cake tin with the palms of your hands, squashing it right into the corners. It should cover the whole base, 3cm deep. BAKE in the oven for 25 minutes, until risen slightly and golden brown. If you remove them now they will be chewy. For a harder biscuits leave an extra 10 mins longer. REMOVE from the oven and turn onto a wire rack to cool. Cu CUT into large fingers and sprinkle with icing sugar.

ALMOND RUSKS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine flour, almonds, baking powder and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture until well combined. Chill until firm. , Divide dough into three pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-in. x 2-in. rectangle; place on a greased baking sheet. , Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300°., Carefully cut each rectangle into 1/2-in. slices. Place slices cut side down on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

ALMOND SWEDISH RUSKS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in almonds. , On a greased baking sheet, shape the dough into two 11x3-1/2-in. rectangles. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 20 minutes., Transfer to a cutting board; cut with a serrated knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes; turn slices over. Bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove to a wire racks to cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. Store in an airtight container.

SOUTH AFRICAN RUSKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.
• Combine all the wet ingredients, pour them into the dry ingredients, and stir until you have a soft dough, similar to biscuit dough.
• Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll or pat it to about a 1/2 inch thickness.
• Cut the dough into rectangles about 2 by 4 inches.
• Bake the rusks about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheet for about 25 minutes until the tops are crisping and browning a little.
• Loosely pile the rusks on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree oven all day or all night (about 12 hours) to dry.
• The finished rusks should be very dry and hard.
• Cool and store in an airtight container.
• Rusks will keep for weeks.
• Variations Oatmeal-Raisin Rusks: Reduce the white flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 2 cups rolled oats and 1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins.
• Almond Rusks: Add 1 cup chopped almonds and omit the cinnamon.
• Peanut Rusks: Add 1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts.

SWEDISH ALMOND RUSK (MANDEL SKORPER)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, cardamom, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
• Beat together butter, sugar, and extract with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in flour mixture at low speed just until combined, then stir in almonds.
• Form dough into 4 (11- by 2-inch) logs and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased large baking sheet.
• Bake logs in middle of oven until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Cool logs on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife using a sawing motion.
• Reduce temperature to 300°F.
• Arrange rusks, cut sides down, on baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven until golden, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

ALMOND RUSK

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease thoroughly. Combine the flour, baking powder, cardamom, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• 2. Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat 1 minute until light. Beat in the sour cream, almond extract and eggs. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour and beat until soft dough forms. Beat in the almonds.
• 3. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Shape each third into a log approx. 12 inches by 1 1/2 inches high by 2 inches wide. Place the logs on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly.
• 4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until browned and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• 5. Cut each log into diagonal slices about 3/4 inches thick using a serrated knife or a bread knife. Place the slices flat on a baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake 8-10 minutes or until toasted. Turn the slices over and continue baking 8-10 minutes more or until the second side is toasted. Cool on a wire cooling rack.