Rusks

Rusks are safari’s answer to biscotti. They are equally crispy and delicious, but often are filled with wholesome goodness of seeds and fruit since they are the first thing you eat around 5:30am before you brave the elements and go to view wild animals. I fell in love with rusks because they are as tasty as biscottis, offer the same crunch but add the perception of “health food”, which isn’t altogether false.

Here’s my favorite recipe for this delicious treat. Try it. your kids, spouse, friends will all love it.

1 ½ cups flour (I use whole wheat from King Arthur)

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats (I grind 1 cup into a flour)

1 cup all bran flakes

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup yogurt (I use Greek yogurt, plain)

1 stick butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients. Whisk wet ingredients together. Combine mixture into a dough. Spoon into a 9x13 metal baking dish and smooth the top. With a sharp knife mark the top out into rectangles to facilitate cutting after baking.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Break into biscotti-like fingers, return to baking dish and dry out in the cooling oven for another 4 hours. Enjoy.