South African Crunchies: for Anzac Day.

                      

If your looking for something to bake this week/weekend for Anzac day(I'm assuming an Anzac biscuit) then I thought I'd share my recipe for a South African crunchie. They are pretty much the same thing,  but this is a slice. I tried to look up the history of the crunchie, and didn't find much except it's been a long favourite for children for as long as people can remember. The history of the Anzac biscuit according to Wikipedia, is that the wives of the soldiers made the biscuits to send over to them. They knew the ingredients would keep well(mmm butter) and they would stay fresh and tasty for long time travelling! I'm going to assume the crunchie probably came from the same idea, that the ingredients used don't spoil and the slice can last a long time! Of course my recipe is slightly different not using sugar and adding coconut oil, but my South African family tried them, and loved them. You can't go wrong with a crunchie, how ever you make them!! My Aunty makes hers with added pecans and raisins which is just delicious!!

This recipe makes approx 20 squares( my pic has 16 but I had made 8 biscuits with some of the mixture before making the slice to see if biscuits worked). You can double the recipe but just bake it in a bigger tray. And you can also blob the mixture on a tray making biscuits. Watch them as cooking times will change.

You will need:

60 gm coconut oil

60 gm butter

1/4 cup rice malt syrup plus 1 tablespoon. 

1 tsp bicarb soda

1cup oats

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup spelt flour

Pinch salt

Place the oats, coconut, flour and salt in a large bowl. Melt the oil, butter and syrup together in a small pot. Add the bicarb and whisk till all the lumps are gone and its gets frothy. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix. Grease a 20x28 cm tin(or similar) with coconut oil or line with baking paper. Pour the mixture in and spread out evenly. Bake at 160C for approx 10-15 min or until golden. Cool slightly then cut, then let them cool completely in the tray before taking out.

*if you plan to double the batch, bake in a tin twice as big. There's no right or wrong tin, just the thicker you want them, the smaller the tin, or the thinner you want them, the larger the tin.

* if making biscuits, use baking paper on your tray and blob the mixture a few cm apart as they spread. 

These are even better if you have them with some African rooibos, but any tea will be delicious!

                           

Enjoy!

Taz xx

It's getting cold so I've made a new blanket!

As I type this, I'm sitting outside in the wonderful sun! I'm eating watermelon and feeling quite summery! But there's something about his sunshine that's so so lovey, and that is,  it only comes out between crisp cold mornings and long cold evenings. You know the sunshine will leave and at no point do I overheat! Autumn is here and I am loving every moment of it! But it was one of those cold evenings that inspired and pushed me to make myself a new blanket. I was quite cold. And the thought of crocheting or knitting one sounded so comforting but I knew it wouldn't be ready for this winter!

So, instead, I cut up some old jumpers and cardigans I don't wear anymore, and stitched them together to make our new blanket. The idea was originally from The Crafty Minx in one of her books I think years ago. But also from my desire t0 use these brightly coloured woollens I just don't wear anymore and make them practical again!

 

 

 

 

With another cardi that was too small to cut into a neat square, I made into a hot water bottle cover(left one) to go with our other one made from a jumper that we bought from a market a few years ago!

 

I'd love to know if you make your own blankets for the cold months...or any favourite ways to get ready and enjoy autumn or winter!?

 

See you soon,

 

Taz xx