I’ve had a few emails asking about my recipe for Anzac Biscuits. In Border Watch, they are Lauren’s favourite treat and she coerces Morgan into cooking them as often as she can.
Yesterday we had a visit from a friend whose son is currently doing his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Harry mentioned that they can send a two kilo parcel over to the troops for free. His wife was making Anzac Biscuits to put in a care package that will contain all sorts of other treats as well. Apparently Anzac Biscuits keep really well and the troops love them – still!
It got me thinking about the origins of the humble snack so I did some research on the web. They date back to World War 1 when wives, mothers, girlfriends and organisations like the Country Women’s Association baked food to send to the troops. Since the average sea voyage from Australia to Europe took upwards of two months, the food needed to last. It seems a basic Scottish recipe was adapted and the humble Anzac Biscuits was born.
Below is a recipe I’ve copied from the Australian War Memorial site. Hope you enjoy it.
And while you’re eating them, remember the men and women still serving our country who find a small slice of Australia in the ragged shape of an Anzac Biscuit!
Popular ANZAC biscuit recipe
The popular ANZAC biscuit is a traditional, eggless sweet biscuit.
The following is a original recipe provided by Bob Lawson, an ANZAC present at the Gallipoli landing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar, rolled oats, and coconut
- 4 oz butter
- 1 tbls treacle (golden syrup)
- 2 tbls boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda (add a little more water if mixture is too dry)
Method
1. Grease biscuit tray and pre-heat oven to 180°C.
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Melt together butter and golden syrup. Combine water and bicarbonate soda, and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix butter mixture and dry ingredients.
5. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto tray, allowing room for spreading.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on tray for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
Source
Recipes taken from Robin McLachlan, Anthea Bundock, Marie Wood, Discovering Gallipoli: research guide (Bathurst, NSW: Times Past Productions for the Australian War Memorial, 1990)
Sandy, certainly can’t forget the NZ in ANZAC – and they keep winning the rugby…
Phillipa, I’ve tried this recipe and they were very yummy so I think you can be optimistic 🙂
Gotta love NZ tour guides, SN! The ones I’ve met have always had wonderful ironic senses of humour.
Hi Brenda, welcome! Don’t know what’s going on with the Good Reads but glad you tracked me down!!
Thanks Helene…I’ll have a go at those. 🙂
Ah, yes, we both own them, but much as I love New Zealand, sometimes they like to pretend they ‘own’ them a little more…
Mind you, our tour guide was a little embarrassed to be serving them to Australians, so he’s forgiven!
My anzac bic’s always tasted a bit alkaline, like I’d used too much bicarb. So I’ll try this recipe and hopefully I’ll do better
Now, Helene, let’s not forget the NZ in ANZAC.
When we went to Antarctica and visited the NZ base in McMurdo Sound they served us ANZAC biscuits for afternoon tea. I guess there were a lot of Scottish folk that moved to NZ as well as Oz so perhaps they have cause to claim them?! Either way, they’re very yummy 🙂
I went on a tour in New Zealand where they served us a ‘New Zealand speciality’…ANZAC biscuits…
I can’t even make toast without burning it, but I’m sure I can find someone to make these for me.