Caraway Rye Rusks

By norsegal8

Rusks are a good standby in the summertime when it is just too hot to bake bread. They keep well in a tightly covered jar ot tin. Most bakeries in Scandinavia have a variety or rusks on hand, and admittedly, most Scandinavians do not make them at home.

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 1/2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1/2 cup dark rye flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups bread or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter softened

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the brown sugar and let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast foams. Stir in the salt, caraway seeds, milk, rye flour and whole wheat flour and beat until smooth.

One cup at a time, add the bread (or all-purpose) flour, beating between each addition, until the dough is stiff and will not absorb more flour. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle a work surface with flour, and turn the dough out onto it. Knead, adding flour to prevent stickiness, until the dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Knead in the softened butter.

Wash the bowl, grease it, and return the dough to it. Turn the dough over to grease all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto an oiled surface. Cut the dough into quarters. Cut each quarter into quarters, then cut each piece in half to make 32 pieces. Shape each piece into a small round ball and place on a floured baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the rolls for about 15 minutes, until golden. Cool. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Using 2 forks, split the rolls in half horizontally. Place them on a baking sheet cut-side up. Bake until golden and dried, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on racks. Store the rusks in an airtight container.