Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two baking trays with sides or line them with baking paper.
• In a very large bowl combine the dry ingredients: 1 kg self‑raising flour (if using plain/cake flour instead, add 7 tsp baking powder to the 1 kg of cake flour), 140 g (or 1 cup) Krakley wheat or whole‑wheat flour, 100 g (or 750 ml) All‑Bran flakes, 125 g (1 cup) toasted or plain muesli (or the substitute 90 g oats + 50 g raisins), 1 cup seeds, 200 g sugar, 5 ml (1 tsp) salt, and the extra 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder listed.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients: 3 lightly beaten eggs, 200 ml sunflower oil, 500 ml buttermilk and 400 g melted butter. Ensure the melted butter has cooled slightly so it is warm rather than very hot before adding to the eggs.
• Make a well in the dry mixture, pour in all the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until everything is combined. The mixture will be quite sticky — you can use clean hands if needed to finish combining.
• Divide the mixture between the two prepared trays and spread evenly to an even thickness, smoothing the tops.
• Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the mixture is set.
• Remove the trays from the oven and allow the loaves to cool in the pans until firm enough to handle. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool completely before cutting.
• Once completely cool, cut the loaves into fingers or squares with a sharp knife or electric carving knife.
• Arrange the cut rusks back on the baking trays in a single layer for drying. If you are short of tray space you may stand them on their sides and pack them close together, but do not overlap or stack pieces on top of each other.
• Dry the rusks in a low oven: either at 60°C for about 6–9 hours, or at 100°C (fan forced) for about 4–5 hours. Turn the rusks once or twice during drying so they dry evenly.
• When dry, turn the oven off and you may leave the rusks in the cooling oven or remove them to cool completely. Store cooled rusks in an airtight container.