Occasional cooks: Anzac biscuits

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Via Lights, Camera, Bake!

Guys, Anzac biscuits are so good!

Anzacs are an Australian (and New Zealand) tradition around this time of year, and unlike most recipes, this one has a lot of documented history behind it, as well as legal protection.

The Australia New Zealand Army Corps was a body of soldiers from those two countries who fought in World War I. They fought under British leadership, and the key battle they were involved with is Gallipoli, which was a slaughterhouse. 

As a result, Anzac Day, 25th April, is the key day for commemoration of WWI for Australia and NZ.

It's a battle and period that was rather important for developing of our national identities. There was a general feeling that the British officers treated the troops as expendable cannon fodder. That's probably a huge over-statement that I'm in no way qualified to get into the ins and outs of this, and hey, this is a food column.

The recipe for Anzac biscuits was developed about this time and was designed for longevity and stability - it was something that mothers and wives could make for the men at the front which would survive weeks of shipping.

The recipe uses golden syrup to hold the biscuits together, rather than eggs. 

Protecting the status of Anzac Day and Anzac remembrances is a highly political thing. Federal legislation, the Protection of Word 'ANZAC' Regulations, proscribes when and where Anzac can be used. You can't have a big Anzac Day sale, you can't name a car model the Anzac; any commercial use needs to be approved.

And you can't call your biscuits Anzacs if they vary significantly from the traditional recipe.

You can't call them Anzac cookies, or create an Anzac Cheesecake.

You can't make them into fun shapes.

There are Anzac biscuits, and that's it.

Subway had to stop selling Anzacs, as they couldn't work out a recipe that was cost-effective to mass-produce but which the government would allow them to call Anzacs.

Via taste.com.au

On to the biscuits themselves!

They are both chewy and crunchy. They're a little bit oaty and coconuty. They're definitely buttery and sweet. They're generally awesome.

They're easy to make, the recipe makes lots of biscuits to share, and they would last a long time, if they weren't so delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup plain flour

(if you don't have self-raising flour, use 1 cup total of plain flour, add one teaspoon of baking powder, and sift them together)

3/4 cup coconut

3/4 cup sugar (raw, brown or white) I like to use brown.

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons boiling water

125g butter melted

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Method

Mix all dry ingredients.

Dissolve soda in boiling water and then add to melted butter and golden syrup.

Add to dry ingredients and mix well.

Place in teaspoonfulls on greased tray.

Bake in moderately slow oven (160 °C/320 °F) for 15 minutes.

They'll be soft when they come out - let them sit on the tray for five minutes then transfer to a rack.

And if you wanted to use them to make an ice cream sandwich, that is highly encouraged.

Via bestrecipes.com.au