Rusk

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This article is about the dry biscuit. See also Rusk documents (Official documents) and Dean Rusk (the United States Assistant Secretary.)

A rusk is a rectangular, hard, dry biscuit or twice-baked bread.

The former definition is used in South Africa, where it is considered a traditional food (called beskuit in Afrikaans) and is eaten after having been dipped in coffee or (less often) tea. Historically, it was baked at home, but there are now several mass-market versions available, the most famous probably being Ouma Rusks. In addition to the traditional "plain" and buttermilk flavours, there are now numerous other flavours available, such as condensed milk, muesli, and lemon poppyseed.

The term also refers to a slice of bread baked again until it is hard and crisp (also called a zwieback).

The word beschuit (which, like Zwieback, means the same as "biscuit," namely baked twice) refers to the light and round rusks savoured in the Netherlands. It is customary to serve beschuit met muisjes at the birth of a baby.

In Finland, rusks called korppu are topped with cinnamon and sugar and traditionally dipped in coffee. Finnish immigrants brought korppus to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they are also known as Trenary Toast (after a bakery in Trenary, Michigan that produces them).