Sunshine Rusks are NOT a baby food.

I know. It’s confusing.

The first thing people say as they pop a delicious taster of Sunshine Rusks into their mouth is:

“Aren’t rusks for babies??”

Yeah, but nah.

In Australia, yeah, we associate rusks with something you give babies when they’re teething. South African rusks however, are something else entirely.

What’s the difference between a baby rusk and a South African rusk?

Here’s a handy infographic that explains the difference between baby rusks and the food of angels:  

So what the heck is a rusk?

A South African rusk is a sweet, dried biscuit traditionally dipped in tea or coffee. They can be  flavoured with all sorts of scrumptious things (seeds, nuts, chocolate, spices, dried fruit etc). Some rusks are cut into fingers whilst others can be shaped into little oval rolls. They are also known in South Africa as beskuit, which, TBH, is even more confusing for Aussies.

Is a rusk the same thing as a biscuit?

Yeah, nah. In Australia, some biscuits are quite dry, while others can be chewy. South African rusks are always bone-dry because they are baked twice. The first bake ‘cooks’ the batter, the second bake ‘dries’ the cut fingers into rusks. Rusks are traditionally always eaten with coffee or tea, usually after being dunked in a warm beverage. Because they are so dry, they retain their crunch and form, but have been infused with the coffee/tea taste (heaven!) You can absolutely eat them on their own too. Just be careful: they can be pretty hard on your teeth (Sunshine Rusk Anzacs, I’m looking at you).

Should you give a South African Rusk to a baby?

I don’t recommend giving South African rusks to babies. Whilst they are a dried biscuit and can be quite hard, they are also prone to crumbling from time to time. This can present a choking hazard for babies. There’s also the ‘bits’ within a rusk, like seeds, nuts and dried fruit that can be hard for babies to chew safely.