One of the biggest challenges in life as a parent is trying to manage all the things you have to do. Between family and personal responsibilities, you have a lot on your plate – and that is where helpers come in handy.
Talking about home helpers, Twitter came to a standstill last week when one family shared their views on a job advert looking for an all-in-one house manager.
The Du Plessis family, based in Modderfontein on the East Rand of Gauteng, is looking for a woman candidate who is a graduate, able to drive confidently, and between the ages of 24 to 30.
Her responsibilities will include her preparing breakfast, lunch, and dinner, driving the kids to and from school, taking the children to the doctor, if need be, working out a holiday programme, running errands, walking the family’s Jack Russell dog, doing grocery shopping on a Monday and Friday and also baking rusks.
Is this family looking for another mom? Yoh pic.twitter.com/catmebOv7l
If you are keen on the job or know someone who is, brushing up on your rusk-making skills will stand you in good stead. Here are two recipes to get you started.
Yoghurt rusks
Makes: 50
Ingredients
350g soft brown sugar
500g baking margarine
625ml fat-free yoghurt
4 extra-large eggs, beaten
1 kg Nutty Wheat flour
5ml cream of tartar
10ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
30g bran
80g oats
80g fine desiccated coconut
150g poppy seeds
100g pecan nuts, chopped
150g sesame seeds
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and grease a rusk pan of 35cm x 45cm with a cake pan greaser.
Melt the brown sugar and margarine together and set aside to cool. Once cooled, add the yoghurt and eggs.
Mix all the dry ingredients together and stir well.
Make a well in the centre and add the yoghurt mixture.
Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until well-mixed.
Don’t overwork the dough. Spoon the dough into the pan and cut into fingers before baking.
Bake the rusks for 35 minutes until golden brown.
Leave the rusks to cool in the pan and break them apart into fingers.
Dry the rusks for 3-5 hours at 100ºC; wedge open the oven door with a wooden spoon.
Allow the rusks to cool completely before storing them in airtight containers.
Buttermilk rusks
Makes about 18
Ingredients
1kg self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
500g block or solid margarine
1½ cups sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180° C.
Coat a baking tin with cooking spray
Mix the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.
In a large jug, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
Melt the margarine and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, then add this mixture to the flour.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour, and mix well until a soft dough forms.
Press the dough into the baking tin and bake for about 30 minutes.
Cut into rusk shapes and dry them for 2 to 3 hours in the oven at 50°C.
Recipes: IOL Archives.
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