We will remember them: Anzac Crumble Ginger Muffins

We do not gather together to glorify war - but rather to remember the men and women who served their country, and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
 ~Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, Governor-General of New Zealand.

Today, 25 April 2015, marks the 100 year anniversary of the Anzacs landing in Gallipoli in the Great War.

We huddled this morning with our fellow Wellingtonians at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in the dark before dawn and contemplated all the brave souls who lay down their lives for us a century ago and in the conflicts in-between, those away today, those who didn't make it home, and those who come home forever changed. 

It was particularly special for us: both my husband's great grandads served in World War I, his maternal grandad was a prisoner of war in WWII and our friend Curt lost both his legs in Afghanistan 3 years ago while serving for the Australian Army.  

We remember and honour them not to glorify war but with gratitude that their sacrifice means that we may never need to know the atrocities of the battlefield.

In the Governer-General's address, he spoke of "mateship" and camaraderie as enduring ideals we should aspire to. Wonderfully positive, don't you think? And boy was it in full force today.  Forty thousand strong at Pukeahu Memorial Park alone and hundreds of thousands more kiwis and aussies banding together across both countries and in Turkey.  So incredibly moving.

We carried on the mateship theme with the rest of the day by having a good goss and photo-nerding sesh with the very gorgeous Katie over copious cups of tea and these Anzac Crumble Ginger Muffins. 

They were a brand new invention so a bit of a gamble to serve to guests but it luckily it paid off! Super gingery, tender soft muffins topped with a crunchy caramel coconut oaty topping.  It's like you get an Anzac cookie and a ginger muffin all in one.  I could not stop devouring these things.  The best thing is they took no time what-so-ever to throw together.  A completely delicious way to celebrate Anzac day.

Anzac Crumble Ginger Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

adapted from a recipe by Ruth Pretty

Ginger muffin:

180g golden syrup (~1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons)

115g butter

140g flour (1 cup)

100g brown sugar (1/2 cup firmly packed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Anzac crumble topping

1/4 cup each of:

• oats
• brown sugar
• thread coconut
• flour

big pinch salt

30g butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 150oC making sure the oven rack is in the middle of oven. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a saucepan melt the butter and golden syrup. Take off heat and set aside. 

3. Sift the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the golden syrup butter mixture, egg and milk and whisk to combine. The mixture should be pretty runny.

4. Divide the cake batter evenly amongst the 12 cupcake liners. They should be about 3/4 full. 

5. In the saucepan you melted the golden syrup and butter (or a separate bowl if you aren't as lazy as me), mix together the crumble topping ingredients. Sprinkle the crumble topping as evenly as you can over each muffin. The topping will sink a little bit as the cake batter is so liquid.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the tins for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Keeps in an airtight container for 3-4 days.