ANZAC Biscuits

Whether you love them crunchy or soft and chewy, there is nothing more patriotic than baking up a batch of Anzac Biscuits.  If you prefer them soft & chewy, just take them out of the oven a bit earlier.  Try not to eat them all in one sitting .... or just do! 

Why we bake Anzac biscuits

During World War I, mothers and wives at home in Australia often sent parcels to the soldiers of the Australian & New Zealand Army Corp to show their support. Parcels of food supplemented the soldiers' plain diet of tinned 'bully' beef and hardtack, also known as the 'Anzac wafer' or 'Anzac tile'.

Many care parcels included biscuits made from rolled oats, golden syrup and flour, which had high nutritional value and kept well while being transported overseas.

Now known as 'Anzac biscuits', they're still popular in Australia today.  Bake up some to commemorate ANZAC Day on 25th April and serve to your family, friends and retired or serving members of our Defence Forces.

Anzac biscuit recipes:

The popular Anzac biscuit is a traditional, eggless sweet biscuit. Early recipes did not include coconut.

The following recipe (without coconut) was published in The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Queensland) on Saturday, 14th August 1926.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tbls golden syrup
• 2 tbls boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda (add a little more water if mixture is too dry)

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Mix golden syrup, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda until they froth. Add melted butter.
3. Combine butter mixture and dry ingredients.
4. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto floured tray, allowing room for spreading.
5. Bake in a slow oven.

The Country Women's Association of New South Wales Calendar of Cake and Afternoon Tea Delicacies: a recipe for each day of the year (Sydney: The Association, 1933) included two recipes for Anzac biscuits, one without coconut and the following version which included coconut.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup each of rolled oats, sugar and coconut
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water)

Method

1. Melt butter.
2. Add syrup to dissolved soda and water. Combine with melted butter.
3. Mix dry ingredients and stir in liquid.
4. Place small balls onto a buttered tray and bake in moderate oven.

Lift out carefully with a knife as they are soft until cold.