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Modern "Mosbolletjies" rusks
Mosbolletjies is the king of beskuit (rusks). It is sweetened, leavened yeast buns, delicately flavoured with anise seed, then baked, broken into pieces, and dried.
Mosbolletjies is not common in New Zealand though, because it is a time-consuming affair to make rusks with yeast, but also because "mos" (grape must) is not readily available in supermarkets. Through trail and error, Marietjie developed an easy recipe that is very close to Mosbolletjies, using Surebake yeast and a bread maker.
Ingredients
- 10 ml Surebake instant yeast
- 120 gram sugar
- 5 ml salt
- 5 ml anise seed
- 600 gram high grade flour
- 60 gram butter
- 300 ml water
Method
- Place yeast and all the dry ingredients in the bread maker's bread pan. Add butter and pour water into the pan.
- Close lid, set program on "dough only" cycle (called "pizza" cycle on some bread makers) and start machine. It should take about 45 minutes.
- After the cycle completed, switch unit off and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
- Set to the "dough only" program again and start. Switch machine off after finished.
- Leave dough in closed unit to rise to double or three times the original size. Remove the dough when it rose to the brim of the bread pan. It will take about 4 to 6 hours at room temperature (or a warm cupboard in winter).
- Knead dough down for 5 minutes. You could do it by hand, or set the program on the "dough only" cycle again. Do not let the machine finish the cycle, but switch the machine off after 5 minutes.
- Remove bread pan from unit, form dough into small balls, and place balls in a greased oven pan or similar container.
- A large bread or rusk loaf pan is ideal (and very traditional) but any shape will do. A square container measuring 25 cm x 25 cm and 10 cm high will be suitable for 36 balls, laid out as 6 rows of 6 each.
- Let the dough rise for about 6 hours in a warm place, or until it is three times the original size. On a cold day it might take longer, on a warm day it will be quicker.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
- Paint the buns with milk, and bake for approximately an hour in the oven at 180°C.
- Using a fork, gently separate the rusks from each other.
- Dry overnight in a slow oven, between 80°C to 100°C.
Comments
Rusks are a favourite South African treat and this recipe makes a usually tedious procedure effortless without compromising on taste. Absolutely delicious!!
Thanks for your feedback Stephenie! It is always good to hear from our readers, and also to hear that the mosbolletjie recipe worked well for you too :-)
Thank you for this recipe - tried it - so easy to make, expecially if you can not actually cook and bake. They came out a bit short and fat but who cares - the ones in the Ouma Beskuit cartons in the shop are not exactly "ouma se lang wit beskuite" either. My only question is where do I get the anis seed. I am in AUckland and all I can find is finely ground anis seed powder or whole anis star. And they would really be nicer with the anis flavour
We're glad that you like the recipe too, Lydia!
Unfortunately we've not come across an Auckland source yet, but you can try organic health food shops.
These two shops in Christchurch stock aniseed, and both do mail orders:
Summerfield Foods: http://summerfieldsfoods.co.nz
Piko Wholefoods: http://www.pikowholefoods.co.nz
And in Wellington we know of Common Sense Organics: http://www.commonsenseorganics.co.nz.
I you happen to find a Auckland source, please let us know!
Thanks, will try some organic shops too and let everyone know.
They raised pretty well, will bake again
Found the anis seed at the south african shop!
Great! Which one? There are a few in Auckland :-)
I hope they will be better raised next time! How long did you leave it to raise? Perhaps you can give it more time?
As the recipe use little yeast, rising takes a long time and it's a bit of a mission in winter: our kitchen is so cold that I don't really bake these rusks during the coldest months of the year.
I used to cover them and put them close to the fire but that caused bubbles to form on them which is not so good.
Some people say they cover their rusks and put them in a car parked in the sun.
To rise dough easily: Cook a mug of water in your microwave until steamy on the inside. Push the mug to the back and put dough in your container inside the microwave. Close the door and leave. If I use a quick yeast it took 1 hour to rise 5 cups of flour's dough.