24 April 2011
Posted in Sweet things

April 24, 2011

Australians and New Zealanders will be celebrating their public holiday on April 25, in tribute of Anzac day (Australian and New Zealand Army corps); a commemoration of our soldiers back in World War 1 that fort on the shores of Gallipoli and the western front.

The original hard soldier's biscuit were rationed to the troops during this war period, because this large biscuit was known to last much longer than the usual rations of bread. Back home, the women connected to the soldiers had then learnt of this somewhat tough biscuit and they had concerns of its nutritional value. Here, the biscuit was reinvented by the ladies by adding rolled oats; a high nutritional ingredient that was adapted from the Scottish oatcakes. The biscuit was then called the Anzac biscuit.
Ingredients of oats, sugar, flour, coconut, butter, golden syrup and bi-carbonate of soda could withstand the long ship journey to reach the troops on shore. The eggs were omitted as the binding agent for the biscuit so to give it a much longer shelf life.

Here I have made my Anzac biscuits with a touch of delicacy, instead the thicker tougher version of the biscuit.

makes 20 biscuits
 100g rolled oats
 150g, plain flour sifted
 150g fine super sugar (caster)
 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
 60g shredded coconut
 2 tablespoon of hot water
 125g, unsalted butter
 2 tablespoon golden syrup

 how to make:

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Combine the oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl and make a well.
3. On a low heat, melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan.
4. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the hot water, and add to the butter mixture.
5. Add the butter liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well (If dry add an extra tablespoon of hot water).
6. Place 1 level tablespoon of the mixture on the tray for each biscuit (approx 6cm), and spaced 7cm apart. Bake for 10 minutes until golden. After 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

These biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.