Oat-and-Seed Rusks

These rusks remind me of energy bars because they are so full of seeds and nuts, but of course much more substantial. The recipe yields about 80 fingers/rusks.

1kg Nutty Wheat (make your own by mixing plain flour and wheat bran in a 5:1 ratio)

250ml X 4 rolled oats

250ml X 2 seeds and nuts (take your pick from sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, linseed, chopped pecan or almonds; I used sesame and linseed seeds and chopped almonds)

250ml desiccated coconut

250ml brown sugar

7.5ml salt

15ml baking powder

400g butter, melted

3 eggs

500ml buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Grease 2 standard roasting tins and set aside.

Mix together the nutty wheat, oats, seeds and nuts, coconut, sugar, salt and baking powder.

Melt the butter and pour it over the dry ingredients. Mix this really well, incorporating the butter throughout the entire mixture.

Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk and add this to the flour mixture.

Mix the ingredients together with your hands, making sure to incorporate dry and wet really well.

Spoon the rusk mixture into the two greased tins and press it into the pan with the palm of your hand.

Now cut it into bars, about two finger’s width.

Bake for one hour.

Cool the rusks so that it is cold enough to handle.

Break up the pre-cut fingers and place them slightly apart on large baking sheets.

Dry the rusks in a 100℃ oven for about 3 hours.

Store in an airtight container.