Australia!

We have been enjoying a bush creek

in the lovely sunshine.

I love those chubby little feet, and that orange blur is a butterfly we were rescuing from the water.

In anticipation of Australia Day, I tried out a recipe for Anzac Biscuits. 

I used a recipe originally published  in "The Australian Women's Weekly - Sweet Old-fashioned Favourites", but made a few changes (put half the sugar, double the golden syrup, and left out the coconut, I know its traditional, but I don't eat it!), and ended up with the following:

Screamstress' Anzacs

Combine 1 1/4 cups rolled oats (traditional not quick)

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 cup sugar (white, but you could use brown)

Melt 125g butter (I actually always use dairy-free canola based spread)and 2 tbs golden syrup in a saucepan.

Combine 1 tsp baking soda with 2 tbs boiling water, add to the butter mixture, and then add the lot to the dry ingredients and stir around quickly.

Form small biscuits, quite flat as they don't spread much, and place on a baking tray.

Bake at about 160 degrees centigrade for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Yum!  I love them nice and crunchy, and next time I think I may even add some dried apricots too. 

Happy (Early) Australia Day!

A Day (or few) in the Life

I have been...

 hanging out at home

 decorating a birthday cake for my 5yr old baby boy

playing silly home made games with friends and family

 relishing a big stack of vintage fabrics I got given for my birthday

 designing a beanstalk

 to applique on some derby shorts for the "BeanStalker"

 sneakily adding a 'daddy' figure to a kinder souvenir plate.  Big S said "I ran out of room", but the Panda would be shattered to find out he wasn't included.  Can you tell which one it is?  Far right, with flames coming out of his feet.  I'm hoping he won't notice unless he puts his dis-used glasses on.

 turning squashy bananas into the Best Ever Banana Muffins.  (I only use 1/2 cup of sugar though)

and making biscuits for the teachers.  Apparently it is not a good photo unless it has someones head in it!

Sometimes all the clamour of life seems unbearable, and at other times it seems almost perfect.

Another Novelty Biscuit Cutter!

Just what I needed, another novelty biscuit cutter!  The kids call them pirate biscuits, and I'm happy with that.

Coolest Biscuits Ever!

Who can guess what came in the mail yesterday?

I thought I should show you what I've been using for the icing.

It is just a cone made of baking paper, filled, then folded in from the sides.

 On a slightly different topic, I had an anonymous comment about golden syrup on my damper post, and its been bugging me!  Who are you, secret reader?  I had a golden syrup dumpling when I was young, so long ago I don't know what they taste like anymore.  But in my memory it is simple, rustic, sweet.
  Anyone else harbouring a secret nostalgia?
Update: The wonderful Curlypops baked Golden Syrup Dumplings for me! (Virtually)  They look absolutely delicious, and she's got a great recipe too!

Mega Easy Biscuits for Decorating

My good friend was coaching her first session of 'Fresh Meat' (Beginners Level) Roller Derby last night, so the spawn and I made her some supportive biscuits!

And then got a bit silly with the left over icing...

This recipe is the easiest, and with the best consistency for biscuit shape cutters.

Mega Easy Biscuits for Decorating
Melt 113g (1/2cup) of butter (I actually use a dairy free spread).
Mix in 1/2 cup white sugar, and 1 1/2cups self-raising flour.
That's pretty much it!  Roll out about 1cm thick and cut.
Place on a baking tray with a little allowance for spreading, bake about 10-15 minutes.
You can add 1 tbs cocoa powder for chocolate biscuits, or 50g of chocolate chips, or nuts, or 1/4 cup coconut, or any combination.  They turn out crunchy, and perfect to decorate. 

Now I'm looking forward to when my rollerskate biscuit cutter arrives in the mail!