Bakery-Style Tea Rusk

Rusk dipped in sweetened milk was my tea time snack for most part of my school days.I wondered why my friends called it sick-time food.For that matter,even bread-butter was looked upon as food which was had when one was sick,really?

Best Bakery had the best rusks those days.Sweet,crisp and crunchy decked with raisins,tutti-frooti and sometimes cashewnuts.Rusk was always bought in bulk since it had a longer shelf life and was an all time favorite for all of us.But as and when we grew up,our interests drifted to better looking snacks,namely cakes,pastries etc.

My interest was doubly revived in rusks when my father-in-law introduced me to Warrier Bakery rusk in Bangalore.These were plain sweet rusks but so tasty that I had to get back to my rusk-love.I've always wondered how these were baked and surprised to know how easy it was to make homemade rusk.

Bakery-Style Tea Rusk
Recipe source - Lakshmi Nair

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Butter,softened - 125 gms
Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/3 cup
Tutti-frooti - 50 gms

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line an 8' square tin.
 
Sift together flour and baking powder twice.Reserve.
 
Beat together butter and powdered sugar till creamy.
 
Mix in the eggs one at a time followed by vanilla.
 
Beat in the flour mix and milk alternately beginning and ending with flour.
Coat the tutti frooti in 1/2 tbsp of flour and fold into the prepared batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or till the cake is golden brown in colour and is firm to the touch.
Let it cool to room temperature.
 
Peel off the baking paper and cut the cake into three vertically.Cut thin slices of the cake and bake again for 20-25 minutes(at 180C) or till golden brown and crispy.
 
Cool and store in air-tight containers.Makes about 30 rusks.

Notes

• The rusk can be made plain or with any additional ingredients of your choice.I suggest chopped cashewnuts,currants or raisins.
• The recipe can be easily doubled for making larger quantities.
• I baked the rusk for an additional 5 minutes since we like it a bit more crunchy.
• Every oven is different,so baking times may differ.

Off these go to Srivalli's Cookie Mela.