Australian Recipes
Favourite Aussie Things To Make

Of course there are dozens of Australian recipes and wonderful Aussie food to make but we're just going to cover some of our more traditional & iconic ones that we enjoy.

Things like our ANZAC biscuits, damper bread, pumpkin scones and a few of our wonderful desserts and cakes which are all part of who we are and what makes us Aussies.

Now the three of us here at Australian Tales don't profess to be gourmet chefs so we have found the Australian recipes for our famous fare from very worthy sources.

We hope you will take the time to look at their websites and video channels for variations on the selected recipes we have put up here for your information and the joy & delight of making some of these Australian recipes and enjoying them for yourselves.

Please note there may be differences with the written Australian recipes and the ones on the videos.... you can choose to use one or the other or a combination or you can just use the videos as a guide to the method.

Hardtack Recipe (ANZAC Wafer or ANZAC Tile)

Ingredients - Makes six biscuits

• 1.5 cups self-raising white flour
• 3 cups self-raising wholemeal flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk powder
• pinch salt
• 1 cup water

Method

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
• 2. Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together.
• 3. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Mix together until an even dough is formed.
• 4. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and let rest for half an hour.
• 5. Divide the dough into three and then roll each ball into thick 1cm sheets.
• 6. Cut the rolled sheet of dough into 9 cm squares, using the edge of a steel ruler, rather than a knife. This pressing action helps to join the top and bottom surfaces of the biscuit and will improve the "lift" in baking.
• 7. Now make a regular pattern of holes in each biscuit, five holes across by five holes down (25 holes in all). The ideal tool to use to make these holes is a cotton bud with the cotton wool cut off or the thick end of a bamboo skewer. Push it through to the bench, twist slightly and withdraw. (Some historians claim that each biscuit had 49 holes.)
• 8. Place on a slightly greased baking tray, being careful that the biscuits are not touching. Form a wall around the outside edge with scrap dough. This will stop the outside edges of the biscuits from burning.
• 9. Bake on the centre shelf for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them!
• 10. Leave the biscuits on a cooling rack until they harden. Or switch off the oven and return the biscuits to the oven until it becomes cool.

We thank the Australian War Memorial site for this most wonderful of Australian recipes. It is the recipe that was used in World War 1.

The Australian War Memorial is a wonderful site to spend time on and learn more about the history of our fighting men.

As daughters of a returned soldier from World War 11 (our Dad was a Rat of Tobruk) we have a very keen interest and pride for our blokes who look out for us at all times.

Both of us wear red each and every Friday to say 'thank you mates'.

The iconic Australian recipes below are certainly some of our favourites and have become some of the most well known amongst all Australians.

We have used recipes from a few different websites; including Taste.Com.Au and Donna Hay. These websites have a wonderful selection of stunning Australian recipes and very helpful hints on old favourites, healthy eating, meal selections and so much more.

We have chosen some great videos to go along with the recipes as well.

Anzac Biscuits

Now, let's face it you couldn't have a page on Australian recipes without including ANZAC biscuits; they are definitely a favourite here in Australia & in New Zealand too.

The written recipe & the video recipe may vary slightly.

Ingredients

• 1 - 1.25 cups plain flour, sifted
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or treacle
• 150g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Method

• Preheat oven to 170°Celsius.
• Place the flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl and stir to combine.
• In a small saucepan place the golden syrup and butter and stir over low heat until the butter has fully melted.
• Mix the bicarb soda with 1.5 tablespoons water and add to the golden syrup mixture - It will bubble whilst you are stirring together so remove from the heat.
• Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined.
• Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, pressing down on the tops to flatten slightly.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Written ANZAC Biscuits recipe from Donna Hay .

Damper Bread Recipe

As far as Australian recipes go you can't get much more Aussie than Damper.

Ingredients

• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 80g butter, chilled, cubed
• 185ml (3/4 cup) water

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 200°Celsius. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• 2. Add the water to the flour mixture and use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture just comes together; adding 1-2 tbs extra water if the mixture is a little dry. Use your hands to bring the mixture together.
• 3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Shape into an 18cm disc and place on tray. Use a sharp knife that has been dipped in flour to mark 8 wedges on top. Dust the damper with a little extra flour and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the damper is cooked through and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Written Damper Recipe from Taste.Com.Au.

Pumpkin Scones Recipe

We know pumpkin scones can't just be considered one of our Australian recipes but we've included them here because they are such a favourite of ours and were made famous by our own Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen.

Please note the recipes on the video and the page are slightly different.

Ingredients

• 600g Kent pumpkin, seeded, peeled, coarsely chopped
• Butter, at room temperature, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 60g chilled butter, cut into 1cm pieces
• 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk

Method - Notes

• 1. Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Use a potato masher to mash until a coarse puree forms. Set aside to cool.
• 2. Preheat oven to 220 - 240°Celsius. Rub a baking tray with butter to grease. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add pumpkin and buttermilk. Use a flat-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture just starts to hold together.
• 3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Use your hands to press out the dough until about 2cm thick. Use a round 5.5cm pastry cutter to cut 15 discs from the dough. Place, about 1cm apart, on the prepared tray. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden and scones sound hollow when tapped on the base.

Written Pumpkin Scones Recipe from Taste.Com.Au.

Lamingtons Recipe

Any page on Australian recipes has to include the good old Lamington.

Ingredients

• Melted butter, to grease
• 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 70g (1/2 cup) cornflour
• 6 x 59g eggs, at room temperature
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tbs boiling water
• 170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut

Chocolate icing

• 300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 160°Celsius. Brush a 19 x 29cm (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.
• 2. Sift the combined flours together into a large bowl. Repeat two to three times.
• 3. Use an electric beater to whisk the eggs in a large clean, dry bowl until thick and pale. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.
• 4. Sift the combined flours over the egg mixture. Pour the boiling water down the side of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool.
• 5. Trim the edges of the cake and cut into 15 squares. Spread the coconut over a plate.
• 6. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk and water and stir until smooth.
• 7. Use 2 forks to dip 1 cake square into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off. Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake squares, icing and coconut. Set aside for 1 hour or until icing sets.

Written Lamingtons Recipe from Donna Hay .

Peach Melba Recipe

Peach Melba was actually created by a French Chef and as such is not really one of our Australian recipes but as it was named after famous Australian Dame Nellie Melba we figured we can put it on this page.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1kg tub peach slices, drained
• 300g frozen raspberries, thawed
• Vanilla ice-cream or cream, to serve

Method

• 1. Combine sugar, vanilla and 1 cup cold water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add peaches. Stand for 10 minutes. Drain peaches, reserving 1/2 cup syrup.
• 2. Blend raspberries and 1/4 cup reserved syrup until smooth. Place a fine sieve over a bowl. Press raspberry mixture through sieve. Discard seeds.
• 3. Divide peaches and remaining reserved syrup between glasses. Serve with ice-cream or cream and drizzled with raspberry mixture.

Peach Melba Recipe from Taste.Com.Au.

Pavlova Recipe

No Australian recipes page would be complete without including the stunning pavlova recipe.... so here goes!

Please note the video recipe & the written recipe may be slightly different.

Ingredients

• 8 egg whites
• 430g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 480g (2 cups) 99 per cent fat free vanilla custard
• 2 x 150g ctns Vanilla Creme Fruche
• 4 gold kiwifruit, peeled, thinly sliced
• 8 strawberries, washed, hulled, halved
• 2 passionfruit, halved

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 160°Celsius. Line 3 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Draw a 22cm disc on each piece of paper.
• 2. Use an electric beater to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy. Beat in the cornflour and vinegar.
• 3. Spoon the meringue mixture evenly among the prepared discs and smooth the surfaces. Bake, swapping the trays halfway through cooking, for 35 minutes or until the meringues are crisp and dry. Turn oven off. Leave meringues in oven, with the door ajar, to cool completely.
• 4. Place 1 meringue disc on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread half the custard over the centre, leaving a 2cm border. Repeat with another meringue disc and the remaining custard. Top with the remaining meringue disc. Spread with the Fruche. Arrange the kiwifruit and strawberries on top. Spoon over the passionfruit pulp to serve.

Written Pavlova Recipe from Taste.Com.Au.

And so there you have it some of our of favourite Australian Recipes, give them a go for yourself and enjoy some great Australian food and if you're anything like us you'll absolutely love all of these Australian recipes and want to enjoy them with your family.

Of course there are many more Australian recipes and you can find some of those on Taste.Com.Au and on some of the wonderful cooking channels on YouTube.