Try this healthy twist on an old South African favourite, for home-made buttermilk seed rusks, baked in a two litre ice-cream tub.
Not only is it a fairly healthy version of the South African favourite, it also can be made in the microwave, meaning that you do not have to stress about oven times.
Although the recipe specifies a two litre ice-cream tub, today most ice-cream tubs only contain 1.8 litres. You can use either size, or a microwave proof dish of a similar volume and shape.
Mix and match the seeds to your taste: the oats are the essential ingredients and you may also add 1 cup of bran flakes or all-bran. Add more milk as needed to keep the mixture pliable.
Ingredients
500g self-raising flour1/2 cup brown sugar1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 cups oats3/4 cup desiccated coconut1/2 cup or 100g sunflower seeds1/2 cup or 100g pumpkin seeds1/4 cup poppy seeds1/2 cup sesame seeds
220g butter or Stork margarine2 large eggs1/2 cup buttermilk1/4 cup milk (or as needed)
Method
Set aside a clean, dry ice-cream tub and line with kitchen paper.
In a large bowl, stir the dry ingredients together.
In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk together. Melt the butter and add to this mixture, along with the extra milk.
Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir to blend. Add more milk if needed to loosen the mixture, which should be fairly stiff.
Scoop into the ice-cream tub (it will be too stiff to pour, you will need to spoon it in), and smooth the top with a slight indent in the centre.
Microwave on full power for 13 minutes.
Remove from microwave, invert onto a cooling rack.
When completely cool, slice into rusks and dry out overnight in a cool oven with the fan on (80°C or less).