The biskwi larou saret is a dehydrated biscuit, also known originally as gro biskwi, that was and is still very popular all over the Seychelles islands. Ideal for afternoon tea or breakfast. Snap it in two, spread some butter and dip it in a mug of white tea prepared with condensed milk.
The name larou saret meaning cart wheel is due to its slightly irregular round shape reminiscent of a miniature wheel of ox carts that are still found on La Digue island . Every time I eat this biscuit I have flash backs. I grew up with this biscuit and had it for breakfast almost every day and sometimes for afternoon tea as well . As a young boy, I grew up on small islands where we had no fridge and we did not have the knowledge or the facility to bake our own bread. . This biscuit which is unique to the Seychelles islands originated from a need by the sailors and settlers in the early years to have food items that could keep for a long time specially when at sea. Its long shelf life was ideal for island life because it provided an insurance against hunger in the absence of fresh provisions.It keeps for ages if stored in an airtight container.
Etymologically speaking, biscuit means ‘twice cooked’, bis means twice and cuit is a French term for cooked. This biscuit which is in fact twice baked has most of the moisture removed. Traditionally, bread was baked in the oven after the embers and ash were swept out of the oven. Most ovens then were made of clay or cement and were wood fired. After all the bread were baked, these biscuits were the last item to be baked. They were put in the oven, left overnight to dehydrate and removed the next morning.
The best way to eat Larou Saret, is to snap it in two, top with some ‘Blue Band’ Margarine and dip it in tea made with sweetened condensed milk. This was one of my comfort foods as a young boy and it still is. I also know that this was the case for many of us who grew up in the 1950’s irrespective for social status. Blue Band Margarine was a margarine that was popular in the Seychelles in the 1960’s and was imported from East Africa.
In Seychelles we have two types of rusks , the larou saret and the biskwi bourbon, the recipe of which will follow soon.
Tips
I have attempted to make gros biskwit many times and below is the recipe that I now use. Please bear in mind that the dehydration process is very tricky because it depends a lot on the type of oven used and consequently the length of time required to dehydrate will fluctuate, but on the average you will require about 4 hours.
If you do not have grease proof paper to line your baking tray, spread some flour in the tray in order minimise the biscuit sticking to the tray and giving you a ‘flat-bottomed’ biscuit instead of a ’roundish bottom’.
Give it a try and let me know how you went and if you have any tips to improve on the recipe, please drop me a line in the comments section below.
Here is my recipe for Larou Saret:
A crispy dehydrated biscuit or rusk which is ideal for afternoon tea or breakfast. Snap it in two, spread some butter and dip it in a mug of white tea prepared with condensed milk.
- 500 g Plain flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 7 g dry yeast
- 330 ml warm water
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Sieve flour and combine with yeast, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix well together.
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Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and gradually add the water.
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Mix well with a wooden spoon until combined, then use your hand to bring together to form a dough.
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Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
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Shape dough into a ball and place into a clean, lightly oiled bowl.
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Cover the bowl with cling film or a moist cloth and leave in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
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Turn dough again onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
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Roll the dough into a long thick sausage of about 5cm diameter and cut into approximately 9 portions of approx 90g
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Form these portions into small balls as you would do if you were making bread rolls.
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Use a rolling pin and roll the small balls into flat discs of about ½ cm thick and approximately 10 cm in diameter, and with your finger insert a small hole in the middle of the discs.
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Place the discs/biscuits on a lined baking tray and stand in a warm place which is draft free for about 60 minutes or until doubled in size. If you do not have grease proof paper to line the tray, spread some flour in the tray in order minimise the biscuit sticking to the tray and giving you a 'flat-bottomed' biscuit instead of a 'roundish bottom'.
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Preheat oven to 180°C.
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Bake for about 15 minutes and remove from oven. Leave the biscuits on the tray. Keep oven open for about three minutes to air it a bit and then turn it to 'Keep Warm' mode.
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Insert the biscuits back in the oven and allow to dehydrate for about four hours.
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Do not remove the biscuits. Leave them in the oven for them to dehydrate and turn very crispy. If you have an oven with a pilot light, the pilot light may generate enough warmth to perform the dehydration process. Alternatively, turn the oven to its lowest setting , approx. 50°C, and leave the door of the oven slightly open. The dehydration may take between 4-5 hours. The idea here is not to cook the biscuits further but to have enough warmth to dehydrate them. Alternatively, you can use a domestic dehydrator if you can access one. This process is always very tricky.
- Make sure that you make that little hole in the centre of the biscuit, otherwise it will rise too high and makes it uncomfortable to eat.
- Ensure that you do not 'over dehydrate' your biscuits, because they will start to crack once they are exposed to humidity.
- Store your biscuits in an airtight container and they will keep for a very long time.
Did you make this recipe?
I hope you will enjoy cooking this dish. Please let me know how it turned out for you. If you have a different version of the recipe or have related questions, please leave your comments below.
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