Rusks

It is possible to make homemade rusks that turn out fragrant and delicious. Here’s how to do it:

Ingredients

• 500 g of wheat flour (preferably type 1 or 0 for a more rustic product)
• 100 g of sugar
• 1 packet of dry yeast (or 25 g of fresh baker’s yeast)
• 100 ml of warm milk
• 2 medium eggs
• 80 g of melted and cooled butter (or extra virgin olive oil for a lighter version)
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of a lemon or an orange (optional, to flavor)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, the dry yeast (if using fresh yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk first), and a pinch of salt.
2. Add the eggs and start to combine.
3. Gradually pour in the warm milk and continue to mix.
4. Incorporate the melted butter (or oil) and, if desired, the grated zest to flavor the dough.
5. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough.
6. Put the dough in a clean bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
7. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
8. Divide the proofed dough into two parts and form two long, narrow loaves, similar to baguettes.
9. Place the loaves on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
10. Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool completely.
11. Slice the loaves into slices about 1 cm thick.
12. Arrange the slices on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at 150 °C for 15-20 minutes per side, until they become crispy and golden brown.
13. Let them cool completely on the racks before storing them in airtight containers.

Curiosity

Rusks are so named because they are “twice-cooked”, or “biscotti” in Italian (from the Latin “bis coctus”). This double cooking is precisely what makes them so crispy and perfect for dipping in milk or tea.