Anzac Slice

Anzac Biscuits/Slice

Inspired by:

Family Circle Kids Cookbook Recipe

Why?

I continued the Australia Day celebrations from last week. We had more visitors from Australia come and stay and they had missed out on celebrating Australia Day. What better to cheer them up than some warm Anzac slice!?

Time Taken:

10mins +20 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cups, medium bowl, tray

I used:

1 ½ cups rolled oats (or rolled rice if oats isn’t in your gluten free diet)

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

2 tbs golden syrup

125g dairy free margarine or ¼ cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs hot water

1tsp bicarb soda

*see what I would do different for the recipe with coconut

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 20cm x30cm baking tray. 
In a medium saucepan, melt dairy free margarine and golden syrup. 
In a cup mix hot water and bicarb soda and then add to the syrup, stirring well. 
Take off the heat (turn off the element). In a medium sized bowl mix together oats, sugar and gluten free flour. 
Pour syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. 
Pour into tray and flatten into the pan with the back of the spoon making sure the mixture is even. 
Bake for 20 minutes (it will be gooey/bubbling when it comes out of the oven), and then leave to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments after eating Anzac biscuits/slice:

This slice is a winner with so many, which I am always surprised by that as I think it looks healthy (in a way that might make the eater think the biscuits are bland) because of the oats, and in general when it comes to dessert I find that friends don’t often choose the healthy looking option they choose the yummie looking option. I think the golden syrup gives them a delicious taste that not everyone, especially here in our international community is used to as It’s very easy, it’s vegan, and very delicious.

Comments/What I would do different:

Normally coconut is added to this recipe, but as I didn’t have it I added extra oats and flour. 
If you add 1 cup of shredded coconut, then only add 1 cup of rolled oats and 1 cup of gluten free flour. 

Normally this recipe is made as a biscuit/cookie not as a slice. I have had no success in getting my mixture to stay separate in the oven (perhaps a side effect of the dairy free part) and so I cut them into biscuit squares after it is cooked instead of despairing every time.

Custard

Custard

Inspired by:

Recipe on the BBC.co.uk by Mary Berry

Why?

My Australian friends and I had tried to make pavlova and so we were left with 4 egg yolks. I have always wanted to make custard from scratch and this was my chance.

Time Taken:

15 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Measuring cups, spoon, whisk, bowl, saucepan, teaspoon

I used:

2 cups of rice milk

1 tsp vanilla powder

4 egg yolks

2 tsp corn flour (gluten free)

½ cup sugar

What I did:

In a medium sized bowl whisk eggs and sugar together. 
Add corn flour and whisk until well combined. 
In a medium sized saucepan heat rice milk until it simmers, then remove from the heat and pour over the egg mixture. 
Whisk together and then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over a low heat until the mixture thickens. 
Serve immediately.

Comments after eating Custard:

My friend said it tasted very similar to the egg custard her grandmother made (although the rice milk gave it a slightly different flavor), and I was satisfied with the result, even though I have only tasted custard made from custard powder. After eating it our other friend decided she liked it so much that she was inspired to make it at home, which is the best complement anyone can give me!

What I would do different:

I actually put in 4 tsps of corn flour, but 2tsp is enough (and 2tsp was how much was in the original recipe).

It goes well with mixed berries, but not as nice with chocolate.