SINGING MAGPIE PRODUCE
STICKY QUINCE SYRUP
GOLD MEDAL WINNER 2021 – ROYAL AGRICULTURE SOCIETY OF NSW
FINE FOODS SHOW
RRP: $35.00

There are two words to describe the Singing Magpie Produce Sticky Quince Syrup – indulgent and versatile. This rich and moreish syrup pairs perfectly with roast duck and pork. It can also be used as the base flavour of ice-cream or served on a cheese board.

Take your salad to another level by adding the syrup to your dressing.

To produce this decadent syrup, Sue Heward cooks the multi award-winning Smyrna quinces from her family farm. She’s left with a big pot of rich liquid. This liquid forms a luxurious syrup once it is gently cooked down for 6 or 7 hours. The Singing Magpie philosophy of attentiveness to quality makes this Sticky Quince Syrup so perfect for her family’s Anzac biscuit recipe (see below).

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ANZAC BISCUITS

A classic with a respectful significance

COOKING TIME:

15 Minutes

PREPARATION TIME:

10 – 12 Minutes

Makes:

30

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 cup rolled oat
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup shredded coconut 125 g butter
  • 1 tblspn sticky quince syrup 1 tblspn golden syrup
  • 2 tblspn water
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

METHOD:

1. Set your oven at 175° Celsius.

2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar, rolled oats and coconut.

3. In a saucepan add the butter, syrup and water and bring to boil.

4. Stir in the bicarb soda and then take off the heat.

5. Add in the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

6. Put teaspoons of mixture onto 2 greased trays (you need to allow space for the mixture to spread) and bake at 175°C for approx 10 – 12 minutes.

7. Biscuits will harden when cool.

Recipe by Sue Heward – Singing Magpie Produce

THE HISTORY OF THE ANZAC BISCUIT

National events all over the world, have good food traditions attached – haggis for Burns Night, coins in the Christmas pudding, dumplings for Chinese New Year, latkes for Hanukkah, but none are more special to Australians than the classic ANZAC biscuit, usually baked around or on 25th April.

The origin of this simple mixture is contested between Australians and New Zealanders (similar to the origins of the pavlova), but the actual traditional recipe was likely formed long before the formation of the ANZAC Corps, named or referred to as “rolled oat biscuits” and “soldier’s biscuits”. While the ingredients used do not easily spoil, it is not definitively known if Anzac biscuits were shipped to the ANZACs, despite their ability to travel well. Instead, they were more often made at home to sell for fundraising, or to serve at fetes and other events held to raise money for the war efort, and it’s this connection between the biscuits and the war that led to the use of the name “Anzacs”.

The earliest known recipe combining the words “Anzac” and “biscuit” was published in 1916 in Perth’s The Sunday Times and then again in the War Chest Cookery Book in Sydney 1917. Both of which made no mention of oats as part of the mixture. But a recipe published in Adelaide in late 1919 or early 1920 did, with desiccated coconut only being added years later in 1924.

As such, different recipes have evolved with different ingredients added over the years, altering the palate from super-chewy to mega-crispy, buttery or with a smoky warmth of golden syrup, and the added fragrance of coconut and oats. The smell itself as they bake is mouth-watering – the scent combination alone of caramelising sugar, toasting oats and coconut, and browning butter is utterly irresistible. The biscuits also lend themselves to experimentation, so try adding some dried fruit, chocolate, or a dash of maple syrup if you make a batch this year.

Remembering the freedom our ANZAC troops gave us at the cost of a great loss of life, is part of our national spirit, so this year, lay a wreath, light a candle, read the Ode of Remembrance and enjoy a biscuit with your friends and family. Remember that their afliation to the anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landing at Gallipoli, in Turkey 1915, 109 years ago, is a time for us to pay our respects, including all Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women, past and present, who have served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Lest we forget.