Rusks (Skorpa) - the Recipe and the Memory of my Grandmother

Rusks (Skorpa) - the Recipe and the Memory of my Grandmother 

Rusk or Skorpa (Swedish Toast)
Skorpa is a traditional Scandinavian coffee (kaffe) time treat.

My Grandmother Peterson's kitchen was well known for it's sweet aroma of skorpa' and fresh brewed coffee. My grandmother's hospitality was even warmer than her cozy kitchen with a beautiful wood cook stove and big round table. At 3pm sharp it was kaffe time at the Peterson's and anyone was welcome. I loved being there at 3 because you never knew who would drop by and my grandmother always kept little cakes for just such an occasion and always there was skorpa in the warming oven on the big stove. Skorpa was wonderful for dunking into hot cocoa! Her cake tins never became empty and the warming oven was never without skorpa staying dry and toasted. How did she manage that? Then one day it dawned on me - "love kept them full!"

I have made this recipe many times:

Rusks (you can make half a recipe if you want - but you'll be sorry )

4 cups Milk
2 Tblsp yeast
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs - beaten lightly
1 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
13 cups of white (unbleached) flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp ground cardamom

With the new yeasts these days - follow the instructions on the package. And add accordingly.
Heat the milk until just lukewarm. Add all liquid ingredients.
Add 3 cups of four and beat until smooth - beat in sugar, salt and cardamom.
Mix in the rest of the flour as per regular bread instructions.
And follow your regular bread making method. Bake in loaf pans as per standard bread recipes.
When done remove from pan and let cool until the next day.

Slice all the loaves into finger size rectangles. Place rectangle pieces of bread on cookie sheets and put in oven at very low temperature 170' to 200'. The rusks must toast and dry all the way through each piece. This may take 2 or 3 hours. Better yet at the end of about 2 hours or so - turn the oven off and leave them in the oven for a few more hours.
Perfect for dunking' into hot cocoa or fresh brewed coffee.

Enjoy!

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