Anzac Biscuits

The biscuit that most of us know as the Anzac biscuit is a sweet biscuit made from rolled oats and golden syrup.  These must not be confused with that staple of soldiers' and sailors' rations for centuries, the hardtack biscuit.  To learn more about the real Anzac biscuit, read all about it on the Australian War Memorial website

There are two very different Anzac Biscuit recipes below.  They are both delicious but have different textures and sizes.

The Anzac biscuit recipe below has been a family favourite since I first learnt to make these in Home Economics in High School (many years ago!).  This biscuit is a drier biscuit (think very crumbly) recipe that you will need to bring together in your hands to form a ball before placing on your tray to cook.  Even so, it still has a delicious taste and is worth a try.  They can be made larger, but we like them as 'bite-size' biscuits.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup coconut

1 tablespoon golden syrup

125 gm butter

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon boiling water

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees

Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together

Melt golden syrup and butter together. Mix bicarbonate of soda and boiling water and add to melted butter mix.  Add to dry ingredients. 

Place in spoonfuls on a greased baking tray. Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes

Makes approximately 20 biscuits

 

The second recipe is adapted from a recipe in 'The Tivoli Road Baker' by Michael James with Pippa James.  This recipe is a moister mix and uses brown sugar instead of white sugar. The recipe calls for whole-wheat flour, but at the moment it is very hard to find here, so I used plain flour and it was great!. These are also a larger size.

Ingredients:

200 gm brown sugar

150 gm plain flour

120 gm rolled oats

50 gm desiccated coconut

125 gm butter

50 gm golden syrup

20 gm water

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Line two trays with baking paper and set aside

Put the sugar, flour, oats and coconut in a medium size bowl and mix to combine

Put the golden syrup, butter and water in a small saucepan.  Over low heat stir until the butter is melted and a syrupy consistency.  Remove  from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and mix well.  (the mixture may froth up a little when it reacts with the soda)  Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well to combine.  You may need to get your hands in to make sure it is well combined

Divide the dough in to 12 balls and gently flatten each ball gently before placing on the trays.  Allow space for the dough to spread while cooking

Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the trays and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden brown.  If you like a crispier biscuit, cook for a few minutes longer

Place on a wire rack to cool (be careful as they will still be a little soft when they come out of the oven).  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 12 biscuits