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Legendary Australian Recipes

Here you'll find some traditional and probably not so traditional Australian recipes.
We'll keep adding to this section so keep us bookmarked and pop back from time to time.

If you have some worthwhile recipes that you'd like to contribute that use Australian ingenuity, drop us a line and if it passes the taste test we'll post it here so everyone can enjoy it!

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Chocolate Ripple Cake

A classic Australian dessert for when Auntie Marj and the kids drop in.

INGREDIENTS

300ml cream
1 tsp castor sugar
Vanilla essence
1 pack Arnott’s Chocolate Ripple Biscuits
Crushed nuts, grated chocolate or seasonal berries to decorate

1	Add sugar and a drop of vanilla essence to the cream and whip until very stiff.
2	Join biscuits together by standing a biscuit on its side and sandwich with the next biscuit using a generous spread of cream. Continue until all the biscuits have been used and resemble a log.
3	Cover the log thickly and entirely with the remaining cream. Place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours to set.
4	Before serving, decorate log with grated chocolate, if desired.
5	To serve, cut cake at a slight angle to ensure alternate layers of chocolate biscuit and cream are in each slice. Serve with seasonal berries, if desired.

To add extra flavour to the cake, brush the biscuits with a spirit or liqueur of choice, for example rum or Kahlua, before sandwiching together, or add a splash of alcohol to the cream before whipping.

For something different, instead of Chocolate Ripples, try Ginger Nuts and add some fresh ginger to the whipped cream.

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ANZAC Biscuits

There are a few theories on the origins of ANZAC biscuits (or ANZAC Cookies for Americans) but it is certain that they came about during the First World War, around 1914/15.

Some say that they started as biscuits made by the Troops in the trenches with provisions they had at hand to relieve the boredom of their battle rations. And some say they came about due to resourceful of the women on the "home front" in an endeavour to make a treat for their loved ones using rationed supplies that they had available and that would survive the long journey by sea-mail to the war front.

There is even the suggestion that they originated from Scottish Oatmeal Cakes which is entirely possible. Whatever the origin, they have won the hearts of all Aussies the globe over as the pseudo National Biscuit.

And here is how to make them, it is dead simple. If I can make them, anyone can!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats (regular oatmeal) uncooked
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp boiling water

1	Combine the flour (sifted), oats, coconut and sugar in a bowl.
2	Melt the butter and Golden Syrup in a saucepan over a low heat.
3	Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water and add to the butter and Golden Syrup.
4	Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix well.
5	Spoon dollops of mixture, about the size of a walnut shell, onto a greased tin leaving as much space again between dollops to allow for spreading.
6	Bake in a moderate oven, 180C / 350F, for 15-20 minutes.
7	Cool on a wire rack and seal in airtight containers.

Tips

The American tablespoon is a little smaller than the British tablespoon, so be generous with your Golden Syrup and water.

If you have any thoughts of keeping the biscuits for any length of time I suggest you keep them in a padlocked container!

Mmmm, ANZAC Biscuits.

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Lamingtons

Lamingtons are delicious squares of cake, completely covered in chocolate Icing and coconut. Lamingtons first appeared in recipe books throughout Australia around 1909. Named after Rt. Hon. Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane Baillie, Baron Lamington, GCMG, Governor of Queensland 1896 to 1901. That's what they tell us anyway...

INGREDIENTS

120g butter
2/3 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups self raising flour
Vanilla extract or essence
Pinch salt
1 & 2/3 cups of icing sugar
4 tblspns cocoa
Boiling water
Dessicated coconut

1	Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F Grease and flour a shallow square cake tin.
2	Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift flour and salt together. Add alternately to mixture with the milk. Mix lightly to form a soft mix.
3	Spoon into the cake tin and bake for approx. 1/2 hour or until cake is cooked. When cold, cut into uniform sized squares.
4	Icing - Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Blend cocoa with the boiling water to make a smooth paste. Mix into the icing sugar, adding a little more boiling water at a time, if needed. Add vanilla. The Icing should be the consistency of pouring cream, for ease of dipping.
5	Dip each square of cake in the chocolate icing and then roll in the Coconut. Set aside for the Icing to set. Tip - Place a square of sponge cake on the end of a fork prior to dipping. This will be less messy as you need to completely cover each square in chocolate and then coconut.

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Vegemite on Toast

A classic snack for breakfast, lunch, dinner or the perfect accompaniment with post party Berocca.

INGREDIENTS

Bread. Sliced.
Butter, not margarine.
Vegemite.

Firstly, one needs bread. Put one or two (or more) slices in the toaster. Adjust the toaster dial to your preferred level and depress the lever.

When cooked, spread the butter on the toast.

This is the good bit. Open the Vegemite, and spread it on the buttered toast. If you're new to Vegemite, start thin and work up. If you're a seasoned little Vegemite, go for it. If your face screws up into a twisted cramp whilst eating it, you've obviously used too much. Try again.
Important: make sure the toast is still hot when you do this stage, otherwise you may as well stay in a motel and let them cook it for you.

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Tim Tam Slam

The existence of the Tim Tam has given rise to the phemomena of the Tim Tam Slam or Tim Tam Explosion. This practice involves biting off opposing corners of the Tim Tam (which is a oblong shaped biscuit) and then using it as a 'straw' to suck up a hot beverage (usually tea, coffee, or Milo) and then, just before the biscuit falls apart, it is placed in the mouth. The sensation of the Tim Tam 'exploding' in the mouth has been described by some as a near orgasmic pleasure and leads to very fast consumption of biscuits.

Connoisseurs believe the chewy caramel variety is best for performing the Tim Tam Slam since the caramel centre helps to hold the biscuit together for a slightly longer time.

A Tim Tam Slam has been successfully performed by Natalie Imbruglia on the Graham Norton television series in the United Kingdom.

For adults, late at night when decision making may be impaired, try substituting tea or Milo with Tia Maria or Kaluha. (You may then want to have Vegemite on Toast - recipe above).

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Pavlova

A delightfully different dessert. Pavlova is meringue-like in texture
on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Pavlova is reported to have first been made in Australia in 1935, named in honour of the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova.

INGREDIENTS
3 Egg Whites
3 Tblspn Cold Water
1 Cup Caster Sugar
3 tspn Cornflour
1 tspn Vanilla Essence
1 tspn Vinegar

Preheat oven to 150°C / 300°F
Line and grease a baking tray.

In a clean dry bowl, beat the Egg Whites until soft peaks form. Beat in cold Water. Continue beating and add caster Sugar a little at a time. Add Cornflour, Vanilla and Vinegar, beating slowly.

Place the Pavlova mixture onto the greased paper, forming a large circle.

Bake for 45 mins, then turn the oven off, leave the door ajar slightly and allow the Pavlova to cool in the oven.

When the Pavlova is cold, cover the top with a generous amount of whipped Cream. Decorate with sliced fresh fruit like Strawberries, Pineapple & Kiwi Fruit. Drizzle with Passionfruit. Serve immediately.

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