Marmite Rusks: The South African Savory Snack

Marmite rusks! Do you know, I have searched the internet for this and have not found a recipe? Unbelievably. Shocking in fact.

So without ado, let me tell you about Marmite rusks. First off, marmite rusks are not made from actual rusks. They are instead made from ordinary bread. Store bought is perfect. The bread is then covered in marmite from and slow roasted in the oven. The result? A chewy crunchy super savory snack.

Disclaimer: If at any point in this recipe post you feel that I am going a bit over the top about marmite rusks, it is not my fault. As far as I can recall, as a tot I spent a very brief period of time attending my best friend’s mother’s playschool. And i think that she used to make marmite rusks and give them to us kids… so maybe my brain has been hardwired. No matter, if you are a marmite fan, then you most probably will love marmite rusks. And if you are not a marmite fan, then why don’t you just go someplace else where people who do not like marmite hang out? huh?

Marmite rusks are one of the things I keep handy in my mind for things like parties. They are super cheap to make, and are quite filling as far as snacks go.

Of course I don’t just make them for parties. I love having bottles of snacks sitting on shelves. If they are nutritious then this is even better. Usually I would not really classify store bread as nutritious. However marmite is supposedly packed with B vitamins and what not, so if I put enough on then I feel I can class my rusks in the healthy snakkable section.

Usually marmite rusks call for – yess you guessed it – marmite (vegemite or bovril will also work), butter and sliced bread. Basically what you do is you butter the bread, spread some marmite on, cut into strips, and bake at a low heat in the over.

HOWEVER. When I started out my freelance career, butter was a luxury. Not something to be spread around indiscriminately. And so, I can up with my special budget cutting version.

Heres what I do. I take sunflower seed oil and combine it in a bowl with the marmite. The two don’t usually want to mix well but keep at it. Once they are combined nicely grab your bread – I cut it into squares before hand – and rub the mix over each one. Then, on the baking tray and straight into the oven.

When using this method I find that the ‘rusks’ usually stay floppy in the over, whereas with the buttering method they start to turn into toast pretty quick. However, once you take them out and they start to cool, they get nice and hard quickly.

Besides being economical and not busting the butter budget, this method also coats the bread all round. This looks attractive (anybody who love looking at german black bread pictures raise your hand), and – it means more marmite!

Oh yes, about that. If you are a marmite diehard, then go for it. However if you prefer your marmite enjoyment more on the mild side, then simply decrease the marmite quantity a tad.

Also, do not overcook these little blocks of savory delight. Even if they don’t burn, they will start to take on a bitter taste. I think that what happens is that the marmite starts to overheat and change its flavor.

By the way, if you have kiddos, marmite rusks can be a great way to get them eating a healthy snack. They are essentially the same as a sandwich, only easier to have handy. No wonder they were at my friend’s Mom’s Montessori kindergarten!

Marmite Rusks

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Serves: 2-3 Prep Time: 25 mins Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bread (can be stale - it's a great way to use it up)
• 4 large tablespoons of marmite (feel free to decrease the amount if you would like a more mild flavor)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seed oil
• Other items you will need:
• Mixing bowl
• Blender stick (you can try using a whisk but be prepared to struggle a little - marmite likes to stick to itself)
• Baking sheet

Instructions

1. Combine oil and marmite in mixing bowl and blend to thoroughly combine.
2. Stack your bread slices on top of each other in a little tower.
3. Cut them down with a knife to half the slices then repeat to. You will have bread squares left, 1/4 the size of the slices.
4. Coat each square with some marmite mixture.
5. Spread them onto a baking sheet and bake at a low temperature for 45 minutes.

Once done, allow the rusks to cool before removing them from the sheet. They need this time to harden up. Once they are fully cool you have store them in a nice big glass jar, or in a tupperware.

Marmite Rusks: The South African Savory Snack was last modified: February 22nd, 2017 by Daniela Klein