When my friends Joan and Beverley were visiting from the UK, I made it my mission to introduce them to all my favourite Australian foods. I knew they loved Caramello Koalas and Cherry Ripes because I always take a bag or ten home with me and they’re always received and then devoured with great enthusiasm.
Specifically, I set my sights on Australian baked goods. First, there was the lamington that Joan fell in love with in Melbourne, and that Beverley was later introduced to and fell head over heels for too. No sooner had Easter come and gone, than I went into Anzac overdrive and encouraged Bev and Joan to taste test all the Anzac things! They loved these homemade Anzac biscuits so I knew they’d love this slice too – all that Anzacy goodness and yes, I totally just made up my own adjective.
Like Bev and Joan, if you love Anzac biscuits, you’re going to love this slice, it’s oh so chewy, and oh, so delicious and the winning combination of cranberries and white chocolate takes the whole Anzac bake to a new level. The chocolate drizzle on the top is of course optional, but it finishes things off nicely. Added bonus points, that it doesn’t use a lot of chocolate nor does it demand a lot of skill.
I must warn you though, that this slice is seriously addictive. I had to give it away as quickly as possible because otherwise I would have inhaled it all by myself which would have been delicious for my lips but disastrous on my hips! I was so thrilled that my visitors were only too happy to take some on board as in-flight snacks for their onward journey but I was so sad to say goodbye… Not least because we hadn’t yet completed my Australian Edible Initiation Course!
Are you a fan of all things Anzac too? What Australian delicacies would you show visitors down under?
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, chopped
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
130g firmly packed brown sugar
40g desiccated coconut
90g rolled oats
150g plain flour
100g cranberries
100g white choc chips
20g white chocolate, extra for decorating
How to – Traditonal
- Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced. Grease 20cm x 30cm pan; line the base and long sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm over sides.
- Stir butter,sugar and syrup in medium saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in the combined water and soda. Stir in coconut, oats and sifted flour. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Stir through cranberries and choc chips.
- Spread mixture into pan, press down with a spoon and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Melt the white chocolate in 30 second bursts in the microwave until melted. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the slice. When the slice is completely cool, cut into squares.
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced. Grease20cm x 30cm pan; line the base and long sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm over sides.
- Add butter, golden syrup and water to the TM bowl. Mix for 2 minutes at 70 degrees on speed 2 or until fully melted.
- Add bicarb and mix for 5 seconds on speed 3.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix for 20 seconds on reverse speed 2. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add cranberries and choc chips. Mix on reverse speed 3-4 for about 15-20 seconds, until combined.
- Spread mixture into pan, press down with a spoon and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Melt the white chocolate in 30 second bursts in the microwave until melted. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the slice. When the slice is completely cool, cut into squares.
