Weekend Cooking: In My Kitchen - August and a recipe for rusks

Welcome to the first Saturday of the month where I usually share everything I have made over the previous month. The word usually is important here because this month I baked....nothing. That's right. Not a thing! I started working again at the beginning of the month and apparently it took away all my baking inspiration.

We weren't entirely without baked goods. My husband likes to occasionally make Rusks and so he made a big batch of those, so instead of my normal baking wrap up I am going to share the recipes for that.

We did have one foodie experience and that was high tea at the Ritz-Carlton here in Melbourne. The restaurant is on the 80th floor and has amazing views. The afternoon tea itself was nice. I loved the savoury course but the scones were a bit disappointing really. But that view!

  

52 Recipes Challenge

Here are the new recipes we tried this month. Both of these are recipes from Nagi Maehashi's cookbooks. We are very behind with this so not sure that we are going to get to 52 new recipes in the year but we will keep trying.

Cajun Chicken and Rice

Shanghai Noodles

Back to the rusks, which are a twice cooked biscuit. They are perfect for dunking in a cup of tea or coffee and I happen to know that some monkeys like packaged rusks. The first time I went to South Africa, we were staying in a chalet in Manyane camp in the Pilanesberg Game reserve. One morning, the kitchen door to the chalet was left ever so slightly ajar and quick as a flash a monkey came into the kitchen and stole a whole packet of rusks. It clearly wasn't his first time as he then gently peeled open the wrapping, even tapping the rusks on the ground to get rid of the loose crumbs. This is what the humans do to try and limit the amount of soggy crumbs that end up in the bottom of the cup after you dunk the rusks.

This recipe does make a large batch, and we made it in the evening so we could then just leave it in the oven overnight to completely dry out.

We have tried several different recipes now, but this one, which we found at Teach Me Mommy, is the best one so far and so I am posting it here so that we can always find it. Reminder that it is possible to make your own buttermilk  using milk and vinegar and self raising flour using plain flour and baking powder if you need to.

The picture below is what the rusk looked like after it came out of the over the first time.

South African Rusks 

7-8 cups (1.5kg) self-raising flour (or 7-8 cups of plain flour with 8 teaspoons of baking powder)
2 cups (500g) sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon (5ml) salt
500g butter (softened)
2 cups (500ml) buttermilk 

Add the flour to your large bowl. Mix the butter in with your fingers and then add the rest of the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl mix the eggs and buttermilk.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. (The dough should be sticky but you can add more flour to make it easier to get into the trays.)

Flatten the dough onto your cookie trays and then bake for 30 minutes at 180'C or until golden brown and baked throughout.

Let it cool slightly and cut into rusk fingers. Place the rusks directly on the racks in your oven and bake again at 70 or 75'C for 5-6 hours until it is dry throughout. (leave your oven door open slightly)

Weekend Cooking posts from the last month

Blog Tour: A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas

Afternoon Tea Diaries: The Tea Rooms at NGV

The Deadly Dispute by Amanda Hampson

The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida

The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies

Sunday Salon: Three Mini Reviews for Women in Translation Month

Weekly Meals

I am sharing this post with In My Kitchen hosted at Sherry's Pickings.

Weekly meals

Saturday - Butter chicken with roti
Sunday - 
Monday - Toast
Tuesday - Spanish Tuna Bake
Wednesday - Spicy Pork and Beef Noodles
Thursday - Mexican Chicken and Rice
Friday - Smash burgers with chips

I am sharing this post with In My Kitchen hosted at Sherry's Pickings.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page