Bethal baker’s buttermilk rusk is Bakgat
Heloise Erasmus's old-fashioned buttermilk rusk won her fifth place in the RSG and Virseker Bakgat Rusk Competition.
Local baker Heloise Erasmus took fifth place in the RSG and Virseker Bakgat Rusk Competition. The final stages of the competition took place on November 13 at Auto and General Park in Midrand, in front of a panel of five judges.
There were 1 510 entries, narrowed down to 72.
“My husband, Michael, heard on the RSG radio station that I was one of the top five,” said Heloise.
Each contestant had to answer different questions, such as when the rusks were baked, the story behind the rusks, techniques and more.
“I did not think they would choose my buttermilk rusks. It is just the old-fashioned buttermilk rusk, and the judges wanted creativity,” said Heloise.
Heloise has been baking for 25 years and says she does it out of love.
“I entered the competition to show my daughters Anneleen and Madelein you can do anything you put your mind to and that you always have the time,” said Heloise.
Local visitors could taste Heloise’s winning old-fashioned buttermilk rusks at the Coffee Ballet coffee shop in Bethal on November 26.
The winner of the competition was Marthlé Smith with her muesli, cranberry and white chocolate rusk.
In second place was Dominique Stander’s death by chocolate rusk. Genevieve Cillié’s white chocolate and cranberry rusk came third.
Petra Groenewald’s cherry rusk was fourth and Heloise’s old-fashioned buttermilk rusk fifth. The winner walked away with prizes to the value of R560 000.
