Melting moments & yo-yos

One of my most favourite biscuits is a Yo-yo a small buttery biscuit sandwiched together with icing & made with custard powder . Melting moments biscuits are very similar only made with cornflour instead of custard powder and are equally tasty & yum . As the name suggests they provide a truly melting moment ! Melting moments apparently came first and the yo-yo biscuit was an adaption as the popularity of custard powder grew in NZ in the 1940's , no thanks to our famous brand Edmonds .  Custard powder is really just cornflower flavoured & coloured but for me it provides a supreme flavour and texture in the Yo-yos . So easy to make and even easier to eat , my son always asks for these and a batch never lasts for long .

This recipe is taken from A second helping - more from ladies a plate by Alexia Johnston , which is divine NZ home baking recipe collection . Nearly forgot to add this was part of our Royal wedding supper , bite sized delights !

Melting Moments & Yo-yos

For the Biscuits -
170g butter ( soft )
55g icing sugar
170g flour
55g cornflour* ( *for yo-yos replace with 55g custard powder )
1 tsp baking powder

For the filling -
30g butter
100g icing sugar ( more if needed )
2 tsp boiling water
2 tsp custard flour ( for *yo-yos )

1. Preheat oven to 180c and line two baking trays with baking paper
2. Sift together icing sugar, flour, cornflour* and baking powder
3. Cream butter until light and fluffy, then mix in dry ingredients to make a firm dough.
4. Roll walnut sized balls and place on trays - make sure you have an even number so you can sandwich together !
5. Flatten them with a fork
6. Bake for 15-20 mins rotating trays after 10 mins to ensure even baking - they will spread slightly and be pale gold - cool on rack

Icing -

1. Set out half flat side up to be iced , keep others near by
2. Melt butter in small saucepan and add boiling water
3. Pour onto sifted dry ingredients to form a smooth paste , you may need to add a little more icing sugar to make icing pliable & set fast, it should be fairly thick
4. Distribute icing as evenly as possible & wait till all iced before putting un iced tops on and rotate slightly as you put them on so filling moves out to edge of biscuits

Royal wedding Lamingtons !

I know , I know jthe wedding is sooo last week , well actuallly so last 2 weeks ago... but we had a little party when we were watching it on April 29th ! I thought that called for some baking & because my life just seems to be getting more busier by the week I have just got around to posting this ! I guess the Royal fever has died down a little bit ...but my baking lives for ever - just like I hope Wills and Cates love will ( awwwwww ) . Now on to the important part what did I bake ? I opted for a Kiwi take on our royal connection as part of the commonwealth nations . I chose Lamingtons & Melting Moments , probaly two of the most popular baked goods in NZ not counting custard squares ( thats a whole other post ). Lamingtons are like a victoria sponge dipped in chocolate sauce  ( or can be raspberry ) & rolled in desiccated coconut , split & filled with whipped cream & Jam - yes almost heaven !

I have never made Lamingtons before - eaten a lot , some bad some ok & others really good ( few & far between ) , These lamingtons were DEVINE .

 Both recipes came from two wonderful books by Alexia johnston  - Ladies a plate & A second Helping ... which are my favourite NZ baking books in the world !

Lamingtons

For the cakes :

115 g butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Lamington Syrup :

500 ml water
55 g butter
450 g caster sugar
55 g cocoa

Coating & filling :

Whipped cream ( 200 ml ) always whipped with icing sugar
225 g coconut ( more or less )
Jam of your preference ( I used plum )

Mixing & Baking -

1. Preheat oven to 180 c . Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper
2. Cream butter until smooth , add sugar gradually and beat till mixture is light & fluffy
3. Add eggs one at a time , beating well after each addition
4. Sift flour & baking powder together add add to the mixture alternatively with the milk and vanilla
5. scoop into prepared tin and bake for around 20 mins until golden . Cool on rack
6. store airtight until you are ready to use , best the next day & cut into squares

Chocolate Syrup -

1. Bring everything to the boil , stirring , then leave to cool before using ( as this makes heaps of syrup you can keep it in the fridge for next time )
2. Put the desiccated  coconut in a large bowl
3. Use a fork & drop each piece of sponge into chocolate sauce completely  then shake off excess & roll in coconut evenly . Set aside on a rack to dry

4. About an hour before serving them slice them almost through on a diagonal and spoon the whipped cream in , finishing with a dollop of Jam !

Sit back and admire them , then eat eat eat !

Anzac Biscuits

Last week ( April 25 ) in New Zealand it was Anzac day - a national day of remembrance that commemorates those killed in war as well as honouring returned servicemen and women. Read more about it here . The Anzac biscuit was apparently made for soldiers by there mothers at home and sent over to the front line - although I have heard this was a romanticised version of the truth and the biscuit didnt start being made until well after the war ! Anyway the notion behind it is the same a good hearty biscuit that can withstand the rigors of lunch boxes and biscuit tins alike.
I found this recipe in the paper the weekend of anzac day by Geoff Scott of Vinnies . It included walnuts which is the traditional version , most modern recipes omit this , but I always thought it gives them crunch & we have a huge bowl of fresh walnuts from Nelson begging to be used !
The biscuits were perfect & the vanilla gave them a real caramel sweetness !


Anzac Biscuits 


1/2 tsp baking soda
2 TBSP boiling water
125 g Butter
1 TBSP golden syrup 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
3/4 Cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 Cup coconut ( desiccated )
1 Cup chopped walnuts 
1 Cup brown sugar


1. Preheat oven to 120 c 
2. Line 3 oven trays with baking paper 
3. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water 
4. Melt the butter with Golden Syrup then add water & soda mix
5. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl add in liquid butter mix
6. Stir well and roll teaspoon full's on tray and lightly press with a fork.
7. Bake for 25 mins till golden and transfer immediately to a rack to cool .

Store airtight and they last for ages !