Greek Barley Rusks Recipe (Cretan Dakos)

I have to say that I've seen recipes using way too much wheat flour and just a small percentage of barley flour because barley is more difficult to bake with, plus it makes the breads denser. However, if you want to call these barley rusks they should be at least 50% barley flour, shouldn't they? Otherwise, they're just wheat rusks with a bit of barley flour.

In Crete, we make these rusks (we call them paximadia) in two different shapes.

The first way is to shape the dough into long loaves, bake it and then slice it into thick slices which get baked for a second time until they dry out completely and become rusks. These rusks are called Dakos.

The second way is to shape small round spirals, bake them, slice them in the middle and bake them for a second time until dry. These rusks are called kritharokouloura (the plural is kritharokouloures).

Check my other bread recipes, and if you especially love Greek cuisine, make sure to try this Greek village bread (Horiatiko psomi) and this aromatic and slightly sweet Greek ceremonial bread (Artos).

📋 Dakos Rusks Ingredients

To make the authentic Greek barley rusks recipe, you'll need the following ingredients:

Whole or integral barley flour. For the authentic Cretan Dakos recipe the barley flour should be unhulled. This means that the flour contains the both the hull and the bran of the barley. Having said that, hulled, whole barley flour will also work.

Close image of unhulled barley flour

Water. If the water where you live is highly chlorinated I suggest using bottled water.

Vinegar. Wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar is both fine.

Fresh yeast. If you can't find fresh yeast there are instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post for how to replace it with dry yeast.

For the complete list with ingredients and quantities see the recipe card at the end of the post.

🔪 How to Make Barley Rusks

How to make the traditional Dakos rusk recipe. Just follow this easy step by step guide:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water and wait until it foams. Add a couple of tablespoons from the flour, to give the yeast something to eat.

2. Add the flours and the rest of the ingredients to the yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon.

3. Once the dough starts to form, knead with your hands until all the flour is absorbed. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in volume.

4. Divide the dough into 6 balls, and knead each ball until smooth. Then, form thick strings and shape them into spirals.

 ✏️ Tuck each edge under the spiral, to help it hold its' shape during baking.

5. Cover the spirals with a dump cloth and let them double in size. Then bake in a preheated oven.

6. Once the breads are baked, let them cool and then cut them in the middle with a serrated knife.

7. Bake for a second time until completely dry, let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.

How to eat Dakos Rusks

Traditional Cretan Dakos is very tough. That's why it is submerged for 2-3 seconds in a bowl filled with cold water and then served with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of coarse sea salt. You can also add grated tomato, xinomizithra (a fresh cheese with sour taste), olives and oregano. This Dakos with xinomizithra is a popular Greek dish called koukouvagia in some places. Instead of xinomizithra, feta cheese can also be used!

👨‍🍳  Expert Tips

✤ Choose a barley flour high in protein (mine is 13% protein).

✤ If possible, for the authentic Cretan Dakos, choose an un-hulled barley flour. Your best chance to find that is from a local mill.

✤ If you want your rusks to be less hard, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to the dough.

✤  After a few days, if you notice that the rusks are not completely dry, you can repeat the drying process for a second time. This will help them last for months.

💭 FAQs

What are dakos (barley) rusks?

Dakos is a type of rusk made in Crete. The bread is made using whole barley flour and whole wheat flour, and once it's baked it's sliced and then baked for a second time until it is completely dry. This procedure helps it last for several months.

How long do they last?

When completely dry, Cretan rusks will last for up to 6 months, when stored in a cool, dry place, inside an airtight container. If the rusks are not completely dry they can get moldy. If you're not sure if your rusks are completely dry, you can bake them again for a third time.

📖 Recipe

Greek Barley Rusks Recipe (Cretan Dakos)

Makos

Once you learn how to make this Greek barley rusk recipe (paximadi kritiko) you'll never go back! Originating in Crete, these healthy rusks will bring a Mediterranean vibe to your table. Use them to make Dakos salad, add them to your Greek salad (Horiatiki) or just briefly soak them with water and enjoy them as a healthy snack with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Resting time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side

Cuisine Cretan, Greek

Servings 12 servings

Calories 224 kcal

Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 2 ¾ cups (350 g) whole barley flour (preferably unhulled (see note #1))
• ▢ 2 ¾ cups (350 g) whole wheat flour
• ▢ 2 cups (480 g) water
• ▢ 35 grams fresh yeast (see note #2 for dry yeast)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (30 g) vinegar
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoon (12 g) fine sea salt
• ▢ Optional:
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil (see note #3)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon gluten powder (optional, see note #4)

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, mix a couple tablespoons of flour with the water, add the yeast and dissolve it with your hands. Then, wait until it foams (10-15 minutes).
• Add the flours, the vinegar, and the salt to the yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Once the dough starts to form, knead with your hands until all the flour is absorbed. Cover the bowl with a wet towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in vollume.
• Once the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into 6 equal balls (if you double the recipe divide it into 12), and knead each ball until smooth. Then, form thick strings and shape them into spirals. Tuck each edge under the spiral, to help it hold its' shape during baking.
• Place the spirals on a baking dish lined with parchment paper, cover them with a dump cloth and let them almost double in size.
• Preheat your oven at 355°F (180°C).
• When the breads are double the size, bake them for 50 minutes.
• Take them out of the oven and let them cool on a rack. Then cut them in the middle with a serated knife.
• Arrange them in a single layer on the baking dish and bake them for a second time (at 230°F /110°C) until completely dry (about 2 hours). Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Notes

note #1: The barley flour should be whole and unhulled. This means that the flour contains the both the hull and the bran of the barley. If you can't find this type of flour, whole barley flour will also work.

note #2: If you want to use dry yeast, you can replace the 35 grams fresh yeast with 1.5 Tablespoons dry yeast. 

note #3: Olive oil will make the rusks more tender.

note #4: If you can't find barley flour with high protein content (13% or more) you can add some gluten powder to compensate.

note #5: Check the rusks the next day to make sure they're completely dry. If not, dry them again in the oven for 40-60 minutes.

note #6: The spiral shape is called "Kritharokouloura". If you make a large loaf in a ractangular pan, cut it into slices and then dry those slices, the rusks are called "Dakos".

Love barley? Try this traditional Greek barley bread or if you prefer something easier, this quick barley bread with 100% barley flour and no yeast.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 441mgPotassium: 214mgFiber: 6gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2mg

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