480g (4 cups) cake flour
10ml (2 tsp) baking powder
Pinch salt
200g bran flakes (4 cups)
60 g plump raisins ( 60g = approx ¼ cup - I just used ¾ cup raisins)
60g dried cranberries (I only use sometimes)
60 g sultanans (I don’t use)
100g pecan nuts, chopped (I don’t use)
60ml (¼ cup) mixed seeds (sunflower,sesame,linseed and pumpkin) ( I used the health mix and add a bit more approx ⅓ cup)
200 g (1 cup) sticky brown sugar (brown sugar)
250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk (Place 1 Tb white vinegar or lemon juice in jug and add milk to make up 1 cup)
1 extra-large egg
250 g butter, melted ( I use 200ml oil)
5 ml (1 ml) 1 tsp vanilla
Actual recipe: In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, bran, fruit, nuts, seeds and sugar
In separate bowl combine buttermilk, egg,butter and vanilla.
Add to dry ingredients and mix well
If dough is too dry add a little water
My method: If using oil beat oil and sugar together, add rest of wet ingredients and beat, then slowly add dry ingredients.Press into a greased baking tray to a thickness of about 3 cm
Score dough into rectangles if possible
Bake at 180 deg C for 50 - 60 mins until golden
Cool in the tray then turn out onto a board and cut into rusks
Reduce oven temperature to 100 deg C spread rusks out on a lined baking tray and dry in the oven for 4 hours, turning a few times. (I don’t cook for 4 hours I just cook for about an hour and then leave overnight to dry in warm oven)
Leave to dry out even longer if you can putting in an switched off warm oven whenever possible
Cool and store in airtight container
(Can add coconut, aniseed,chia seed)