1 tin (397 g) condensed milk
500 ml (2 cups) boiling water
200 g (250 ml/1 cup) sugar
500 ml (2 cups) cold water
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 cakes of fresh yeast (25 g each), crumbled
1 packet (2,5 kg) cake flour
25 ml (2 T) salt
50 ml (4 T) aniseed (optional)

BAKING TINS
4 greased loaf tins

1. Preheat oven at 180°C (350°F), mix condensed milk, boiling water, butter and sugar until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.
Add cold water, eggs, yeast and half the flour.
Mix thoroughly to a smooth batter.
Do not be too concerned if small pieces of yeast are still visible.
Cover and leave in a warm place for 1-2 hours to allow the leavening to rise and become spongy.

2. Punch back the leavening and add salt, aniseed (if used) and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Sprinkle more flour, a little at a time, onto the dough board and knead well until the dough no longer sticks to the board.
Knead for 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
If another pair of hands is available, divide the dough into two and knead separately.

3. Complete dough by leaving it to prove, punching back, pinching into balls, packing tightly in greased baking tins and setting aside to rise again.

4. Bake the rusk loaf at 180°C (350°F) for 50 minutes or until golden.
Cover with aluminium foil, shiny side up,
as soon as the top becomes too brown.
Turn out and leave to cool.

5. Then loosely pile the rusks on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree oven all day or all night (about 12 hours) to dry.
The finished rusks should be very dry and hard.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Rusks will keep for weeks.