I am now the proud owner of the Margaret Fulton Australian Classics cookbook. And the other day I felt like baking. After a batch of ANZAC bikkies (after which I ran out of syrup) I decided to see what Marg could do for me. And lo, I spied rock cakes! I haven't had rock cakes since I was about... oh, I don't know, maybe nine years old. Then on yesterday I saw someone on TV making some. And so I figured it MUST be a sign!
Once you've preheated your oven to 200C and greased some baking trays, sift 2 cups of self raising flour with 1/2 a teaspoon of mixed spice and a pinch of salt, then rub through 90g of butter. The recipe then calls for you to add currants, sultanas and chopped mixed peel (about 2 tablespoons of each), however I didn't have any of those - I had dates. So I added a dozen or so chopped dates instead (and I thought they worked out very nicely... at any rate, two batches of biscuits disappeared quite easily). Once you've added your fruit mix it through. Combine 1/4 cup of milk with a beaten egg, then add to the dry stuff and mix it till it forms a stiff dough. Put small spoonfuls onto the baking trays in rough heaps - remember, they're rock cakes, so they shouldn't be all pretty and perfectly rounded. Bake the little buggers for about 10-15 minutes, till they're nicely golden brown, and they're done! When you take them out lever them off carefully onto a wire rack to cool. Lovely.
I decided to have a little suppertime treat, so brewed myself up some hot milo, and sprinkled a little icing sugar over the bikky. Bliss.
5 comments:
OMG ROCK CAKES! My mum used to make these for me, yeh I was probably about 9 too. I'm sooo going to pilfer this recipe and try it sometime soon.
Sounds like the perfect treat. I don't think I've had a rock cake in at least 15 years. Time to change that I think.
Hey Rosemary. I've found a whole heap of different recipes all over the net, mostly almost all nearly exactly the same, but some a bit different ;-)
Hi truffle. Yah, when I saw them being made on tv I just had to have some. I only just have enough fingers and toes to count how long ago my last one was! They're so simple, and everything is already in my pantry to make them, so hopefully it won't be so long until my next batch.
Hi Anna,
I used to make these when I was about 9 or 10 too. It was about the only thing I could make from the top of my head. Thanks for the recipe and bring back the memories! :)
Rock cakes! My grandma used to make these, but I remember hers being like stale scones. Yours sound way nicer!
Good old Madge Fulton. My mum has a load of her stuff on the kitchen shelf at home.
Thanks for the nostalgia shot!
xx
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