Rusk, rusks, glorious rusks! The more you dunk, the more you want! It sounds like a proudly sung anthem, doesn’t it? Well, as far as unique treats go, rusks should be our South African token treat! While people might look at you a little funny if you ask for rusks in an overseas grocery store, we know that there’s nothing funny about rusks! We’re onto a good thing here in South Africa, and the more we celebrate this unique and tasty treat, the more the rest of the world can see just how well we eat!
We’ve told you about the history of rusks before. We have also wowed you by telling you that rusks are a uniquely South Africa treat, and you won’t come across them easily overseas (unless you locate a South African store that is). We have also shared our favourite easy-to-master buttermilk rusk recipe with you in the past (in fact, we’ve given you two of those). What we haven’t done is share our latest even yummier rusk obsession with you, and we almost can’t wait to do that!
Today, we’re going to tell you how to make rusks, but not just any rusks! We’re talking about the type of rusks that star in your dreams (and daydreams too). These particular rusks are creamy, smooth, and the epitome of indulgence. They are big on flavour and crispiness also! We’re talking about Fudge Rusks! Yes, they do exist out there and soon (once you’ve whipped up this recipe), they are going to exist in your life too. It’s always advisable to make a double batch because there’s something about these rusks that make even the strictest weight-watcher throw caution to the wind and reach for a second or third!
Wow-worthy fudge rusks
Making fudge rusks South African style
With much excitement, we present to you a proudly South African rusk recipe: fudge rusks!
What you need:
- 1 x 400g tin of condensed milk
- 500 ml of milk
- 375 ml butter or margarine
- 125 ml of sugar
- 1.5 kg self-raising flour
- 10 ml cream of tartar
- 150 g of soft fudge
- 1 pinch of salt
What to do:
- First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Grease a loaf tin (you may need a few of these).
- In a saucepan, heat the condensed milk, butter/marge, and sugar. Keep stirring until all the butter is melted, and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Cut the fudge into small pieces and throw it into the saucepan to start melting.
- In a bowl, sift the flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
- Add the dry sifted ingredients to the milk mixture (ensure it is only lukewarm when you do so) and then mix it to form a dough.
- Knead the dough for around 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough into oblong balls and then push them into the loaf tins.
- Bake for around 1 hour and then place them on a wire rack to cool and harden slightly.
- Cut the oblong balls into rusk-sized slices and allow them to dry out.
When your rusks are cool and crispy, they make for the perfect treat to dunk into a hot cup of tea or coffee.
If you would like to make your own soft fudge for the recipe, you can follow the recipe below.
How to make soft fudge
Making soft fudge is quick and easy. It’s also tasty for the cook! After all, you get to lick the fudge-encrusted spoon!
What you need:
- 450 g of brown sugar
- 100 ml of milk
- 300 ml of double cream
- 50 g of butter (or marge)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon of liquid glucose (or corn syrup)
What to do:
- Generously grease an oven pan.
- Place all of the above ingredients into a big saucepan. The bigger the saucepan is, the better. It’s going to seem as if the pot contents are expanding when it’s bubbling and boiling.
- Set the stovetop to medium heat and bring th fudge mixture to a slight boil. If you have a thermometer, pop it into the liquid (it needs to reach around 116 degrees Celsius).
- Ensure that you stir the mixture consistently to ensure that the fudge doesn’t catch on the saucepan’s bottom.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to stand. Let the temperature drop to around 100 degrees Celsius.
- When it’s a little cooler, stir in the vanilla essence and then spoon the mixture into a bowl.
- Beat the mixture at medium speed. Keep a close eye on it, as it should change as you beat it. The mixture should become more matte and will thicken.
- The mixture is ready to scrape into the greased tins when the temperature drops to around 60 degrees Celsius and starts to crystalise.
- Leave the fudge to stand overnight. It will harden slightly, and you can cut it into squares the next day.
There should be plenty of fudge to use in your rusk recipe and have leftover to nibble on when you need a sweet treat.
Get the recipe to tax and financial emigration success right here!
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