nest

No Icing, Thanks.

I think it’s time for another recipe.

I am always on the lookout for a cake or slice that doesn’t need icing. When I’m rushed for time but have people coming over or I’m going to someone’s house I need a quick sweet something that I can do in limited, minimal steps. Mix, in the oven, out, done. Possibly a shake of icing sugar, that’s ok, I’ll allow that.

 
 

And not biscuits, too much time taken with the putting on the tray step.

Syrup cakes are BRILLIANT.... but that’s for another post.

Today I’m talking about a slice. Another for my ‘baking with breakfast cereal’ category.

CARDAMOM OAT SLICE

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

Melt 125g butter and ¼ cup of golden syrup in a small saucepan. While this is happening...

Place all of these dry ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to make sure they are well combined.

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

½ cup self raising flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

¾ cup desiccated coconut

2/3 cup sultanas

Lightly whisk one egg and add it to the dry ingredients and mix it around a bit. Then pour melted butter and syrup in and combine.

Press into a greased and lined slice tin (18cm x 28cm) and bake for 20 mins.

When it comes out and is still hot, zest some orange rind over and then sprinkle with icing sugar and leave to cool.

Done.

If you have time you can make an icing with 1 ½ cups of icing sugar, some orange juice and a bit of orange zest. But this can only be put on when the slice is cool and then the icing takes a few hours to set.

I actually didn’t have any cardamom in the cupboard today so I used mixed spice, I’ve also used cinnamon. All good, you just want a spicy, warm hit in the sweet crunch of the sultana-y and oat-y base. And don't omit the orange zest, it makes all the difference.

Australia Day

I've been looking forward to Australia Day 2010, in a slightly anxious kind of way. Not because we had a BBQ, or a camping trip or anything planned with friends to look forward to, but because this Australia Day is the last day EVER that Tom will be a preschooler. School starts tomorrow.

I am excited for him to start and he's SOOOOO ready. But.... that's phase one over. The end of an era. The start of another. I thought I'd be all matter of fact about it, but I can't even let myself think to deeply about it yet. I guess it will hit me tomorrow.

I'm not going to think about it today.

Today at the crack we went to Brisbane's beautiful Southbank and joined the crowds of others who went early to beat the crowds.

We had our bag sitting here until we realised it was about to be a water feature...

A gorgeous morning followed by eggs and toast back home for brunch.

Tidied the kitchen.

Swept the floor.

Cleaned out the fridge.

Keep busy, keep busy, think about it tomorrow.

Normally I would bake when something like this is looming but it was SO HOT in our house today that I was reluctant too add the heat of the oven to the already stifling temperature.

Then I turned on all the fans, the aircon up higher than recommended (sorry, planet) and on with the oven. What did I make on Australia Day? Anzac Biscuits. What am I going to make on Anzac Day in April? Don't know. Maybe Lamingtons.

ANZACS

Preheat oven to 150 deg C.

Combine the following in a large bowl.

1 cup oats

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup dessicated coconut 

1/4 cup flakes almonds (my addition)

Melt the following in a small saucepan.

125g butter

2 generous Tablespoons of golden syrup

Act quickly and mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons of Bicarb with 1 Tablespoon of boiling water. Pour this into the melted butter and syrup. It will foam up rather spectacularly. Give it a quick and CAREFUL stir and pour into the dry ingredients.

Mix.

Roll into small balls and put on a baking tray. They will flatten out a bit. Bake for 20 mins or until golden.

Happy Australia day.

What now? Perhaps I'd better go an alphabetise the book shelf.

I'll think about school tomorrow.
 
 

Weetbix Kid

If the ad is to be believed and 'Aussie kids are weetbix kids', what are New Zealand kids? Well they're weetbix kids too. Over there the ad goes, 'Kiwi kids are weetbix kids.' I believe that more kids world wide should be weetbix kids. It's a good way to start the day. (No, I don't work for Sanitarium.)

My friend Fiona was asking about a signature dish. What recipe comes out regularly? Mine is a Chocolate Weetbix slice. I used to make this even before kids to take to work for shared morning teas. Another of my recipes using breafast cereal. Its so quick and easy and when your kids are refusing to eat you can ignore the butter and sugar quantities and think, 'At least he's getting some fibre!'.

I made the Chocolate Weetbix slice the other day for a trip to the park with some friends.

Couldn't keep fingers away.

A lovely Brisbane park with big, old fig trees.

 
With mysterious eggs at it's base.

The kids loved it. A great morning with lovely friends. And a good excuse to make my Chocolate Weetbix slice...

CHOCOLATE WEETBIX SLICE

(Modified slightly from a recipe given to me by my aunty)

1 1/2 (one and a half) cups SR flour

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

4 1/2 (four and a half) crushed weetbix

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 (one and a half) cups dessicated coconut

200g butter

3 Tablespoons golden syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Sift flour and cocoa
• Combine all dry ingredients, rubbing your hands together through the mixture to crush the weetbix up as fine as possible.
• Melt butter and golden in a small saucepan then add the vanilla.
• Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix. The final mixture will be crumbly.
• Tip into a greased and lined lamington tin (18cm x 28cm) and press with your hands until even and flat.
• Cook in a preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 25 mins. It will still be soft when it comes out but will harden when it cools. Cool in the tin, then ice.
• ICING - 2 cups of icing sugar in a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice- stir. Keep adding lemon juice, bit by bit, until you have a smooth spreadable mixture. Tip over slice, smooth out and sprinkle with coconut.

You will enjoy. I promise.

On this park day, my very good friend, Michelle (an excellent cook) made her favorite morning tea contribution...

... 100's and 1000's Biscuits. They are delicious! I plan to bake them during my Baking Season for a party or two.

I'd love to hear if you try my recipes!  

Breakfast

Who could do without the Chocolate Crackle? The Honey Joy? Anzac biscuits? Most of us have grown up with these treats without, I'm supposing, ever giving thought to the fact that they are all made with BREAKFAST CEREAL. Simple, everyday, versitile breakfast cereal.

A favorite of mine is a chocolate slice recipe my Aunty gave me which uses weetbix. I'll feature this in a future post.

Another Aunty of mine shone a light in the direction of All-Bran and I discovered a cake that I make regulary and is a family favorite. It's great for breakfast on the go or as a rib sticking morning tea. And, for those interested, when the whole cake is cut into 15 slices, each slice is only 2 Weight Watcher points.

The All-Bran has to be soaked for at least 2 hours first, so allow time for this. I've been known to soak it over night in the fridge, it still works.

Above is a picture of the soaking mixture with craisins and sultanas but I usually use craisins and currants...

CRANBERRY AND CURRANT BRAN LOAF

Soak 1 cup of All-Bran, 3/4 cup craisins, 3/4 cup currants, 1/2 cup brown sugar in 1 1/4 (one and a quarter) cups of skim milk (or full cream) for at least 2 hours.

Add 1 1/2 (one and a half) cups of self raising flour and mix well. Transfer mixture to a lined loaf tin and bake at 180 deg for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Also great with lashings of butter (whose counting points anyway?).

Yes, I've checked the recipe, yes, I've double checked it and tested it. Yes, I've done that.

Please note the lovely Sarahs Garden, Wedgewood china in these photos given to me by my very generous parents-in-law. Fine china just makes all the difference.