Wendy Hays

DURING THIS month, many of us will be thinking of loved ones who served our country at war.

My parents met at the Sale Hospital in Victoria in 1945. Mum was a trained cook in the WAAAF (1942–1945) and Dad was a medical orderly in the RAAF (1939–1946).

The story goes that Mum needed a more able-bodied patient to assist the hospital kitchen by podding peas. Dad volunteered for the task.

Like many women who grew up during the Depression, Mum was a wonderful cook and home maker, a master of re-use, remake and recycle decades before it became trendy.

This month’s recipe was a favourite of Mum’s and was always made to mark Anzac Day.

This chocolate and raisin slice is ‘less fiddly’ than Anzac biscuits but still has the option to be either chewy or crunchy. Photo supplied

‘Much less fiddly than making Anzac biscuits’, she would say.

If you belong to the chewy Anzac biscuit camp, cook this slice until it is just golden brown all over. If you prefer ‘crunch’, cook it a little longer.

The secret to neatly cut pieces of slice is to mark the chocolate topping into squares with a hot, dry knife just before it is completely set. Finish cutting the pieces in the tin when the slice is cool.

My parents married in 1947. I can’t recall ever seeing my father pod peas although I guess his 1945 culinary mission into the hospital kitchen was successful.

Chocolate and Raisin Anzac Slice

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup caster sugar

125g butter or margarine

1 tbs golden syrup

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tbs boiling water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/3 cup chopped raisins

Topping

200g dark chocolate bits or buttons

1 tsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Turn oven on to 180C and line a slice tin with baking paper. Grease lightly.

2. Melt the butter/margarine and golden syrup together in the microwave or in a small saucepan.

3. Combine the sifted flour, castor sugar, chopped raisins, chopped walnuts rolled oats in a large bowl.

4. Combine the boiling water and bicarb soda in a cup.

5. Mix the melted butter mixture and water mixture into the dry ingredients with a metal spoon.

6. Spoon into the greased slice tin and bake or about 20 30 minutes or until golden and risen. Turn the slice around in the oven several times while cooking so that it browns evenly. It will still be soft when taken out of the oven but will firm up when cool.

7. For the topping, melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in the microwave on medium heat. Stir after every 30 seconds so that you don’t overheat it.

8. Allow the slice to cool for 30 minutes then top with the melted chocolate mixture. Mark into squares or bars just before it sets completely.