Whether you will be enjoying a post dawn service breakfast, cup of tea and biscuits for morning tea, or a family BBQ for dinner, sharing a meal is a great way to celebrate ANZAC Day.
What did our Anzac’s Eat?
Fresh foods, meat and dairy were hard to come by, along with a lack of refrigeration, so most of their food needed a good shelf life. Their diet consisted of canned corn beef, rice, jam, bread and tea, along with hard tack or ‘ANZAC Wafer’ which was very plain in flavour and mixed with water to make porridge.
Food to Commemorate the ANZACs
Here are some tastier ideas on how to enjoy Anzac day this year. Whether these sweet recipes originate from Australia, New Zealand or England, they are family favourites to this day.
And why not try a few other ideas whilst entertaining with family or friends:
- Decorate your table with some red poppies
- Add a wreath to the table with fresh flowers
- Hang up some Australian flags
- Hold one minute’s silence to remember the fallen soldiers
- Recite a poem or play a hymn or the ‘Last Post’
ANZAC Biscuits
Sent over to the boys during war, and still popular to this day, the traditional ANZAC biscuit is easy to make and delicious.
INGREDIENTS
- 1¼ cups (110g) rolled oats
- 1 ¼ cups (110g) desiccated coconut
- 1 cup (150g) plain flour
- 150g unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (90g) golden syrup
- 1 cup (220g) raw sugar
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine the oats, coconut, flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Set aside. Place the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then add the bicarb soda and 1 tbs water. Stir to combine, then pour over the oat mixture.
- Using a wooden spoon, combine butter and oat mixture. Using 1 tbs mixture each, roll into 24 equal-sized balls. Divide between two baking paper-lined baking trays, leaving 3cm between each.
- Flatten biscuits slightly, then bake for 10-12 minutes until the top tray is slightly golden. Swap trays and cook for a further 6-8 minutes until all biscuits are golden. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Lamingtons
The ever popular lamington… whether they originate from New Zealand or Australia, nothing beats a fluffy sponge dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut!
ANZAC Biscuits
Sent over to the boys during war, and still popular to this day, the traditional ANZAC biscuit is easy to make and delicious.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
- 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
- 1/4 cup (35g) cornflour
- 25 gram soft butter, chopped
- 1/3 cup (80ml) boiling water
- 4 cups (270g) desiccated coconut
Chocolate Icing
- 4 2/3 cups (750g) icing sugar mixture
- 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
- 20 grams soft butter
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and flour a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan, line base with baking paper.
- Beat eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light in colour. Gradually add sugar; beat for 8 minutes or until the mixture is thick. Mixture should form thick ribbons when the beaters are lifted.
- Meanwhile, sift flour and cornflour together three times. Combine butter and boiling water in a small heatproof bowl.
- Transfer egg mixture to a large bowl. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture; using a balloon whisk or a large metal spoon, gently fold the flour into the egg mixture, then fold in the butter mixture.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes or until sponge springs back when touched lightly in the centre and comes away from side of pan. Turn cake onto a wire rack to cool.
- Cut cake into 20 even pieces
- Meanwhile, to make chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a large heatproof bowl; add the butter and milk; stir over a medium saucepan of simmering water until icing is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Divide icing mixture into 2 small bowls.
- Place coconut in a shallow bowl.
- Using a large fork, dip each piece of cake briefly into icing until cake is coated in icing. Hold over bowl to drain off any excess. Dip half the cake pieces in one bowl of icing and the other half in the second bowl of icing. (We have separated the icing into two bowls, as cake crumbs will thicken the icing and make it difficult to use.) If the icing becomes too thick, stand it over hot water while dipping, or reheat gently with a little more milk. If necessary, strain the icing into a clean bowl.
- Toss cake gently in coconut. Transfer cake to a wire rack; stand until set.
Pavlova
A nationally loved dessert with crisp meringue on the outside and soft marshmallow centre, topped with freshly whipped cream and seasonal fruits. A crowd pleaser!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cornflour
- Cream
- Seasonal fruits
METHOD
- In a small electric mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar, lemon juice and sifted cornflour, and beat until stiff and glossy (at least 10 minutes).
- Cover a baking tray with baking paper.
- Pile meringue onto paper and shape into a large circle, leaving the centre slightly hollowed.
- Bake in at 130C for 1½ hours or until crisp on the outside.
- Turn oven off and leave pavlova to cool in oven with door ajar.
- Decorate with whipped cream and fruit in season.
Recipes Sourced From:
- delicious.com.au
- WomensWeeklyFood.com.au
- bestrecipes.com.au