Red poppies are a symbol of war remembrance the world over. One often wears a poppy in remembrance of those who have died in past wars or those who still serve. In most Western countries the poppy is worn on or around Armistice Day (11 November), but here in New Zealand they are most commonly seen in the week around Anzac Day, the 25th of April. (They are also seen at major military commemorative events, at military funerals, at war graves and cemeteries throughout the year.)

The red poppy, also known as the ‘Flanders poppy’, has signified remembrance since the time of the Great War / World War 1 (1914-18), it being the first plant to grow and bloom in the mud and soil after the battles of Flanders. This connection was made most famous by a Canadian Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, in his poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

Today my blog is wearing Remembrance poppies.
These are not just any poppies, however - this is a food blog so my poppies are naturally of the edible kind.

These Chocolate Sable Red Remembrance Poppies are for all the New Zealanders who have died in war, most notably the Kiwi troops who landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula on this day in 1915.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning.
We will remember them.
We will remember them.

• Chocolate Sable Red Remembrance Poppies
• 255 grams of plain white flour
• 30 grams of quality dark cocoa powder
• 200 grams of cold butter, cubed
• 100 grams of icing sugar
• 2 free range egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 200 grams of rolling fondant icing
• red food colouring
• cornflour/ cornstarch to work the fondant
• 30 dark sweets, such as M&M’s/Pebbles/Smarties
• 30 toothpicks, or match sticks with the head broken off, etc. painted with green food colouring
• a small amount of icing / frosting to fix the fondant, toothpicks and sweets

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C
2. In a food processor place the flour, cocoa and cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla and process to a form smooth ball of dough.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. On a lightly floured board roll the dough out, marking and cutting 30 poppy shapes.
6. Transfer the poppies to a lined baking tray / sheet and bake for approximately 8 minutes.
7. Leave to cool on a cake rack.
8. Knead the fondant with enough red food colouring to create a good red poppy colour, adding some cornflour if the fondant becomes too sticky.
9. Roll out the fondant and cut 30 poppy shapes to fix to your sables
10. Fix the fondant, green toothpick and a sweet to each sable cookie with a little icing to form the poppies
11. Makes 30

Lest We Forget