Anzac Biscuits/Cookies

Thursday 26 January 2017


We have an Elder serving us here in the Chester Ward area at the moment from Australia. Elder Van Dyken.  As you know I love to feed the missionaries and help them out whenever I can.   Last Friday Elder Van Dyken and Elder Allen were sweet enough to bring us a meal because they knew that Todd might not be feeling well after his procedure on Thursday, and so I thought I would do something for them in return.  I was always taught that you never give back a dish empty and so I decided to bake them some Azac Biscuits (cookies) in honor of Australia day which is on the 26th of January.  (Today as you read this.)


An Anzac biscuit is a sweet, hard tack biscuit, popular in Australia and New Zealand, made using rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, baking soda, boiling water, and (optionally) desiccated coconut.  I have never made them before and so I turned to a Donna Hay Recipe to make mine, courtesy of Domayne Online.


I wasn't quite sure what to expect, never having ever tasted an Anzac Biscuit or baked one in the past, but I went with the recipe and was well pleased with the results.  They are kind of like a flat round flapjack.  


Sweet, buttery and oaty  . . .  crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle.  They reminded me a lot of Aunt Fern's Cookies, which is an oatmeal/coconut cookie I have been baking for years and years, the original recipe having been one borrowed from my ex-husband's Aunt Fern.


I can't believe that I have never shown you those either!   They are fabulous.  I will have to bake some one day for y'all!


We messaged the Elders yesterday to tell them we had their container for them, and they happened to be right in the neighborhood  so they popped by the house and were thrilled to pieces to get the cookies.  They each had to try one right away, with a glass of cold milk.



Elder VanDyken was particularly thrilled because they reminded him of home.  I was happy about that.   They left here with big smiles on their faces.  I love it when that happens!  It was a happy co-incidence that it just happened to be Australia Day.  I didn't plan it that way, but I am happy when things like that happen also!


*Anzac Biscuits*
Makes about 3 dozen
 
Sweet, coconutty, oaty, buttery and chewy.  Love these! 

180g old fashioned rolled oats (2 cups)
150g plain flour (generous 1 cup all purpose)
150g caster sugar (2/3 cup superfine)
60g dessicated unsweetened coconut (3/4 cup)
115g golden syrup (1/3 cup)
125g of unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 TBS hot water 

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.  Have ready several baking sheets which you have lined with greaseproof paper. 

Whisk together the oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl. Heat the butter and golden syrup over low heat to melt the butter.  Dissolve the soda in the hot water.  Add to the butter mixture.  Pour over the oat mixture and mix well to combine.  Roll TBS of the mixture into balls and place onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of room to spread.  Flatten lightly with your fingers to about 1/3 inch height. 

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before scooping off onto wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.




I hope you will give these a go.  I think you will agree that they are very tasty indeed!  Happy Australia Day!  Bon Appetit!

18 comments

  1. Love ANZAC biscuits. I make them now and again, so easy.
    I always use coconut. Quite a few of downunder recipes have and had back then coconut in them. It must have been readily available during the war years and after when recipes like this came into being.

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    1. Thanks Linda! I loved them and will make again! xo

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  2. Well it's funny when a post about a biscuit/cookie can lead you to learn about a bit of history! I looked up Australia Day and read about the settling of Australia (wikipedia is great)and learned that's on Jan. 26th. I didn't know what Anzac was, I thought it was a spice! So I looked up Anzac Day and that's on April 25th, a day of rememberance for those who served and died. Then I looked up what does Anzac mean? It's an acronym for Australian + New Zealand Army Corps.! I laughed at myself for thinking it was some kind of spice!! hahaha It's always good to learn something new, thanks Marie! I can't wait to make these!

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    1. I love it when that happens also Mary! You are never too old to learn something new! I learn something new every day, or at least I try to! You will love these! Oddly enough Anzac does sound like a spice! xo

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  3. What a lovely thoughtful gesture. I'm sure it was much appreciated. I make these biscuits quite a lot as they keep very well. The only addition I make is to add a teaspoon of ground ginger just to give it a little bite. Everyone here loves them.

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    1. That does sound a tasty addition Marie! I only had one of these as did Todd as they were destined for the Missionaries, but the lads left here after and went to a friends for their supper and they gave my friend and her husband one each and my friend who used to live in Australia wanted the recipe! So they must be good! xo

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    2. Just a heads up in case he visits you again - we also make them for ANZAC Day on April 25th :)

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    3. Thanks Marie, I will bear that in mind! xo

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  4. They look great! Our Costco sells something Australain..I have never aproached the display..will look:)

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    1. I was lucky enough to be given some TimTams one time Monique and they were delicious! xo

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  5. I'm sure your gracious gift was much appreciated! These are a staple in South Africa and are known as Crunchies and baked in a swissroll pan, cut into squares. My mum also makes a chocolate version, which is fab. I was so happy to see them here! Tate & Lyle's Golden Syrup was always in the kitchen cupboard for this bake :) (or to have drizzled over Suet Pudding and custard). Thanks for the happy memory revisit, Marie!

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  6. You're welcome Merry! Your Crunchies sound very much like our flapjacks! Another favourite! xo

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  7. These look delicious and just the thing I've been craving. What is golden syrup in the US? And what is dessicated? Thanks!

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    1. Hi ecky, you can use corn syrup along with a tsp of butter flavouring and replace about 1 TBS of the sugar with 1 TBS brown sugar. Desiccated coconut is a fine grind unsweetened coconut. You could use unsweetened coconut flaked and blitz them in a food processor to chop them finely.

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  8. I love these biscuits. I am an Aussie and I never put coconut in mine.

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    1. Perhaps they are a bit like oatmeal cookies, many different versions? xo

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