1. Firstly, if you do not use buttermilk, mix the milk and vinegar, and after ± 10 minutes add the oil and sugar and set aside.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl and blend together.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and then add the wet mixture and mix thoroughly, until no flour or dry spots are visible.
4. I only use a spatula to mix and scrape the excess from the side of the bowl.
5. Should you wish to mix it by hand, then you should put some oil on your hands otherwise it can become rather sticky.
6. Spray your pan with ”spray and cook” or ”Pam cooking spray”.
7. Transfer the mixture to your pan and then flatten it with your oily hands and then mark out the size of the rusks by cutting through it.
8. I have an awesome biscotti pan with a cutter so this ensures that I always have evenly sized rusks (60 pieces per pan), but I have done it by hand for many years.
9. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 400F (200C), and it should have a nice brown baked color
10. When inserting a baking pin, it should come out clean.
11. Take it out and leave it on the counter till cold, and break open the pieces and place it on a cooling rack which you put in a baking tray and dry overnight at 190F or till it’s properly dried out (say 5-6 hours).
12. Let it cool down, and then store it in an airtight container, or pack it in zip lock bags and enjoy.

Baker’s note:

1. When I bake rusks, I always make this recipe twice, one with pumpkin and one with sunflower seeds.
2. Each 8 cups mixture fits into my rusk pan (see picture).
3. A very old recipe that I have adjusted, adapted, and modified numerous times, but it’s always a hit and a treat in our household.
4. You can make this the standard way or veganize it as you wish.