Pennsylvania German Rusks Rolls Recipes

GRANDMA'S ZWIEBACK ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water; set aside. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, salt, shortening, milk and yeast mixture. Beat well. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic about 6-8 minutes. Dough will be soft. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down and divide into four pieces. Divide three of the pieces into eight pieces each; shape into smooth balls and place on greased baking sheets. Divide remaining dough into 24 balls. Press 1 small ball atop each larger ball. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden, 28-32 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN RUSKS (ROLLS)

Steps:

• 1. Scald milk, add butter, sugar, and salt. Let set until lukewarm. Add eggs and the yeast. Mix in just enough flour to make a relatively soft dough. I used my stand-up mixer with the hook attachment. Knead well and place in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise double in size. (Place the bowl in a warm spot where there is no draft). I placed mine by the fire but have been known to stick it in my car when the sun is hitting it!
• 2. Punch down and shape into rolls. How many depends on the size you roll them in. I used a round cake pan that was greased with cooking spray and rolled them into pretty nice size rolls. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled in size. Note: you can also make these rolls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. See the picture posted by JAP Member Wendy Whipple Rusch! I put mine in a round cake pan because of doing them in my dutch oven in my openhearth fireplace.
• 3. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes or until nice and brown. Enjoy!

GERMAN ZWIEBACK: RUSKS

Steps:

• Cream the yeast with 1/2 cup of the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
• Leave it in a warm place until foaming, about 15 minutes.
• Then add it to 2 cups of the flour.
• Mix thoroughly, gradually adding 2/3 cup of the remaining milk, to make a yeast sponge.
• Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about one and one half hours.
• Stir into the sponge the egg yolks, remaining sugar, butter and the rest of the flour and milk.
• Blend the mixture into a dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it thoroughly for about 15 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
• Shape the dough into three 12-inch cylindrical loaves.
• Sprinkle the tops with a few drops of tepid water.
• Place the loaves on buttered baking sheets, let them rise for about 45 minutes, then bake them in a preheated 400 F.
• oven for 50 minutes, or until light brown.
• The next day, cut the loaves into thin slices with a very sharp knife.
• Place the slices on buttered baking sheets and bake them in a preheated 325 F.
• oven for 30 minutes, turning them after 15 minutes.
• When finished, they should be dry and evenly browned.
• Elek Magyar.
• Kochbuch Fur Feinschmecker.