Anzac Day 25th April.

ANZAC BISCUITS.
Traditional biscuits baked by anxious mothers and wives during World War 1, packed in food parcels and sent to the Australian soldiers in the trenches. Ingredients.

1 cup Rolled Oats.
3/4 cup Desiccated Coconut.
1 cup Plain Flour.
1 cup Sugar (I used brown)
125g Butter.
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup.
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda.
1 tablespoon Boiling Water.
1 tablespoon *Wattleseed. (I added this but you don't have to)

Method. Preheat oven to 150c and line 2 cookie trays with baking paper.

Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut in one bowl together. Melt together the butter and syrup in the microwave if you wish, or as I did, in a saucepan over heat. Mix the soda with the boiling water and add to the melted butter mix. Now add the butter mix to the dry ingredients and mix together well with a wooden spoon. Place 1 tablespoon full of the biscuit mixture on to the baking tray. This should make around 35 biscuits. Flatten with a fork and do leave room for spreading. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on trays.

*Wattleseed is a truely delightful spice from the Australian bush. Has a flavour of rich coffee, chocolate and hazelnut. Mine was given to me by Sharon in Melbourne. Thank you. You can get it from here. www.spicebazaar.com.au

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Tablet.

This recipe was given to me by Rita from Scotland, have looked at it several times over the past month, but was too scarred to tackle it. Having never tasted it, I really wasn't sure of the texture to achieve. Rolling boil and setting point also really made my palms sweaty. But, it's made, it's set, and it's stored, but not for long as this is simply DELICIOUS. Tablet. (The recipe)

2lbs Granulated Sugar.
1 tin Nestles Condensed Milk. (Large) *(395g)
1 cup of Milk.
2 ounces Butter. (Cut in to small chunks)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (But this is optional, I did use it)
Method....
First, grease an 8 inch by 10 inch tray with some melted butter. I melted it in the microwave and brushed it on.
Put all the ingredients (except the tinned milk) in to a HEAVY based saucepan, and melt REALLY slowly until there are NO grains of sugar left. Avoid stirring vigorously as you will push grains of sugar up the sides of your pan and end up with a gritty tablet.

Once it has melted, add the tinned condensed milk, and take to a ROLLING BOIL. This will change colour too, almost a toffee colour is fine. Keep this rolling boil up for around 20 minutes, being very careful not to burn and boil over. Test a drop of the mixture in a glass of cold water. It should BALL. (Not dissolve as mine did the first few times) Once BALL has been achieved, take it off the heat.

Now this is where you get working really hard with a wooden spoon. Although being the true Scottish lady that I try to be (LOL) I used my SPURTLE. You will feel it thicken as you beat. This did take quite a while, so in the end SPURTLE got a rest and in came my electric hand mixer for one minute. Once thickened, pour in to your prepared tray. and leave to set. Mark it before it is totally set and cold. Will make for easier cutting later.

I have another SPURTLE that is currently going around the world and seeing the sites. If you wish to learn more about SPURTLES please visit.....http://theadventuresofmrbertielspurtle.blogspot.com/

The texture of the tablet should be, slightly crunchy on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside. And just melting on the tongue. Fudge like, but BETTER.

Please note edit, to the weight of tin required for this recipe.