Pat-a-cake Pat-a-cake

Keen readers of Witterings may recall that in his preview of the Ashes Fantasy Bob observed that Australia seemed light in the sandwich making department.  Well, their recent run of results suggests that they are also struggling on the baking side of things.  Those keen readers will also recall how FB revealed exclusively that a key part of the English preparation focussed on baking.

Master baker

Fantasy Bob understands that as they approach the selection of their squad for the first test, these messages have got through to the Australian selectors.  They have appointed to their selection panel that all time great baker Greg Chappell.  Greg was known for the timeless elegance of his cake-making.  In his 87 Tests he had 151 visits to the kitchen and averaged 53.86 slices.

Greg has been reminding the present day Australian batters of the fundamentals of baking. In a deliberate bid to heighten their patriotic fervour he has had them working on 2 special Australian recipes.

The first is the celebrated Anzac Biscuits.  These apparently originated in World War I, when they were baked by anxious female relatives and sent to the Australian soldiers in the trenches.  In Fantasy Bob's opinion, the priority given to biscuits in the Australian war effort compares positively with the approach of the Poms, in which British females were ordered to knit socks.   Here is the classic recipe that Chappell is following:


1 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup desiccated coconut, 1 cup plain flour, 1 cup sugar,125g (4oz) butter, 2 tablespoons golden syrup, 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 300F (150C)
Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together. Melt syrup and butter together.
Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter and syrup.  Add to dry ingredients.  Place 1 tablespoonfuls of mixture on greased tray (allow room for spreading).  Bake for 20 minutes. Loosen while warm, cool on trays.
(makes about 35)


Recommended.

A Lamington in full repose

Chappell's other patriotic recipe is for Lamingtons.  Like the duckbilled platypus this delicacy is indigenous to Australia and is also probably a genetic throwback from the days when there was a landbridge between Australia and.....................er, somewhere else.

A Lamington is a Test match quality offering of sponge cake covered in chocolate and coconut.  Here is the Chappell recipe.

If the Australian line up can get the right consistency of sponge then the English attack could be in for some hard work.

Fantasy Bob promises to bring other baking tips as the series progresses.