We will remember them.

I’m not really one for your major public holidays.

I’m vocal about my Christmas unease. Easter isn’t much better. Australia Day irks me, because frankly I know too many vocal bogans, although I love my country. I don’t know anyone who understands what Labour Day is about.

But ANZAC Day. ANZAC Day is my day of days, the one that I revere above all else.

Let me introduce you to this guy. His name is Roy Udy, and he’s my great grandfather. He fought in North Africa in World War Two, leaving behind my grandmother and her 3 younger siblings to care for themselves. He died when I was 9; sadly his stories went with him. So instead, I learned for myself. Shelves of books, Hitler History Channel, museums, pretty much anything I could get my hands on.

I get up in the dead of the night, make coffee, rug up and join the masses that attend Dawn Service in Kings Park. It’s cold, dark, crowded and incredible. You’d be surprised just how silent 40, 000 people can be. The energy in the air is so thick, you could cut it with a knife. But you have to be there to truly understand.

Everyone has an ANZAC biscuit recipe. Maybe your grandmother gave it to you, or hers before her. Because of that, I won’t give you another. What we have here, is all the flavours of those biscuits, but in cake form. I imagine it would be a great pre-service snack, so that your rumbling tummy doesn’t break the silence of the Last Post.

Lest we forget.

ANZAC tray cake

Adapted from The Bake Project

125g butter
1/2 cup golden syrup
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup caster sugar

Crumble
1/2 cup porridge oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature, diced
1 cup plain flour

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a brownie tray (or cake tin, if you prefer) with baking paper.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the butter and golden syrup. Stir together the flour, sugar, milk, eggs and coconut. Add the syrup mixture, and fold until combined. Pour into the prepared cake tin.

In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Smush the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers, until a crumble mixture is formed.

Place the crumb over the cake mixture evenly. 

Bake for 40 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

This would be exceptional with custard. though, to be fair, I love custard with everything.