Sugar Rusk: A Delicious Snack

No, sugar rusk is not a typo for sugar rush, then what the heck is it?  A rusk is a hard dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread (wiki), very much like croutons. It is eaten as a snack food and I recently had the famous variety from Japan, "Gateau Rusk: Gouter de Roi" made by Gateau Festa Harada

They're very popualr in Japan and sold only in limited locations. They're made from french baguette baked with sugar and butter into crunchy goodness. They're simple, yummy and addicting, so why not try to make them yourself?? So that's what I did...

Since they're pretty much like croutons, I baked them like croutons; low and slow.

Sugar Rusk (recipe for 30 baguette slices)

• Baguette or sliced bread
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 3 T. sugar
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• More sugar to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Slice the baguette to about 1/2 inch thick. Melt the butter and sugar together in the microwave. Spread the butter-sugar mixture onto each baguette slices. Onto a baking sheet and into the oven for 1 hour or until the toasts are dry and crunchy. Sprinkle with some more sugar right after you take them out of the oven.

Before Baking.

After Baking.

I also made some with regular bread slices. And I may like them better than the baguettes because the baguette I used has a hearty crust, so some of them turned out too hard for my teeth! haha. Perhaps next time, I shall choose a  baguette with a softer crust.

Made with sliced bread.

You can change the flavorings if you wish, or you can add cinnamon to turn them into Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Just be careful, because they're pretty addicting.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!