Buttermilk Rusks

Ingredients

 * 4 lbs self-raising flour
 * 1 lb pure butter, firm
 * 2 cups sugar
 * 2 teaspoons salt
 * 3 large eggs, beaten
 * 1 tablespoon vanilla
 * 6 cups buttermilk, to mix in (about)

Directions

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
 * 2) Grease 2 flat, large cookie tins.
 * 3) Use the coarse side of a grater, and in a large bowl grate the butter into the flour.
 * 4) Then use your hands to rub it in until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
 * 5) Add the salt and sugar.
 * 6) Add the vanilla to the beaten eggs, and stir into the flour mixture (just roughly).
 * 7) Add enough buttermilk to mix to the consistency of scone dough, i.e. soft and somewhat sticky, but not wet.
 * 8) You should need about 6 cups, but it could be more or less.
 * 9) Have a bowl of quite warm water ready, and dip your hands into it.
 * 10) Now form large balls of dough, but do so lightly.
 * 11) The balls should be about ⅓ smaller than tennis balls (sorry, hard if you can't demonstrate!) pack these, touching one another, on the greased tins.
 * 12) Do not pack close to the edges of the tins, as the dough will rise considerably.
 * 13) Baking time depends on a few variables such as the size of the balls—generally about 45 minutes – 60 minutes the rusks should be well-risen and golden-brown on top.
 * 14) Do peek, and don't let it burn. Test with a skewer.
 * 15) Cool in tins, but they don't have to be cold to proceed:.
 * 16) Use a serrated knife (some people simply break up the soft rusks) and cut into shapes convenient for handling—about 3 inches in length and 1½ inches in width.
 * 17) But you will never be able to cut these rusks neatly!
 * 18) They crumble a lot—don't worry, it can't be helped. Put out the crumbs for the birds.
 * 19) Using the same tins, stack them very loosely and at an angle, one row supporting the next.
 * 20) Dry overnight in a cool oven of about 170°F, with the oven door wedged open a crack.
 * 21) They must dry out completely.
 * 22) Next day make sure rusks are dry, cool well, and keep in airtight tins.