German Zwieback Rusks Recipes

GERMAN ZWIEBACK: RUSKS

Steps:

• Cream the yeast with 1/2 cup of the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
• Leave it in a warm place until foaming, about 15 minutes.
• Then add it to 2 cups of the flour.
• Mix thoroughly, gradually adding 2/3 cup of the remaining milk, to make a yeast sponge.
• Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about one and one half hours.
• Stir into the sponge the egg yolks, remaining sugar, butter and the rest of the flour and milk.
• Blend the mixture into a dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it thoroughly for about 15 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
• Shape the dough into three 12-inch cylindrical loaves.
• Sprinkle the tops with a few drops of tepid water.
• Place the loaves on buttered baking sheets, let them rise for about 45 minutes, then bake them in a preheated 400 F.
• oven for 50 minutes, or until light brown.
• The next day, cut the loaves into thin slices with a very sharp knife.
• Place the slices on buttered baking sheets and bake them in a preheated 325 F.
• oven for 30 minutes, turning them after 15 minutes.
• When finished, they should be dry and evenly browned.
• Elek Magyar.
• Kochbuch Fur Feinschmecker.

SKORPOR (SWEDISH RUSKS)

Steps:

• Cream sugar and shortening; add egg and sour milk and stir.
• Sift flour, salt, soda, and baking powder together.
• Add to first mixture.
• Add nuts, if desired.
• In a 9x13-inch pan, bake one hour at 350 degrees.
• Cut into 1 1/2 x 3-inch strips and dry in slow oven, 300 degrees, until crispy.

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.