Sunday, April 24, 2011

Baked in tradition: ANZAC biscuits for a royal wedding

25th April is ANZAC Day, a day of remembrance when Australians and New Zealanders honour those who died and served in military operations since World War 1.

It's an occasion marked by commemorative services at Cenotaphs thoughout the country, parades and marches with current and former soldiers and the like, and lots of 'legal for the day' two-up gambling and a drink-till-you-hurl mentality. Lest we forget.

On a completely different note, ANZAC day this year falls in the same week as the Great British Royal Wedding. Since Australia fought under the Union Jack, it's probably fitting that some of us will be waving the red, white and blue flag on Friday. I love a royal wedding, and can't wait for this one. Onya, Kate and Wills! And onya, ANZACs, too.

This is a traditional recipe for ANZAC biscuits that we all learn to make at school. This year, I made the normally flat and crunchy biscuits a bit more fat, round and chewy. Moving with the times.

ANZAC biscuits
makes about 30

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup sugar
125g (4oz) butter
2 tblsp golden syrup or honey
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tblsp boiling water

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 150C/300F.
2.  Combine oats, sifted flour, coconut and sugar.
3.  Put butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over gentle heat and cook until the butter is melted.
4.  Mix the bicarbonate of soda with boiling water and add to the butter mixture. Stir into dry ingredients.
5.  Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls, flatten slightly and place on lightly greased baking trays, allowing room for spreading.
6.  Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Loosen while warm, then cool on wire racks.

Ingredients, including sugar, coconut, rolled oats, flour, butter and golden syrup.

ANZAC biscuits, before baking and fresh from the oven.

Serve biscuits with a cup of tea while reading about the royal wedding.

This is such a classic biscuit. I may need to make another batch to nibble during The Wedding on Friday.
PS: My previous ANZAC bikkie efforts: here and here

17 comments:

  1. Havn't actually had an Anzac biscuit in a long long time. These look delish! Fat, round chewy biscuits are definately better ;)

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  2. I've always wanted to try ANZAC cookies...guess I need to get mya ct together before the big day! They look delicious!

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  3. I haven't had ANZAC cookies for ages...! I never really liked them, but now I don't live in Australia anymore I somehow crave for some ANZAC biscuits ;). Look delicious!

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  4. You've made them just the way I prefer them, soft & chewy.

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  5. I always want to bake some anzac cookies...those look so lovely.

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  6. They look deliciously golden! I've never made these myself and I think I've only ever tried them once!

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  7. I never learnt to make anzac biscuits at school! :O The anzac biscuits I always had were store-bought, so they were always the thin and hard ones :) Your biscuits look really different and delicious!

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  8. very appropriate baking lovely! i adore chewy anzacs instead of the crispy ones. hope you had a good easter! dayle

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  9. They look absolutely amazing - thanks for the recipe!

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  10. its been so long since I've eaten one of these sweet yummy biccies. I remember making hem in the sixth grade with our teach who was training in the army. An unforgettable experience.

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  11. I've always wanted to know why these cookies symbolize such an important moment in history... whatever the reason - these cookies are certainly delicious enough to be remembered as well! Oh and - I love a royal wedding too!

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  12. I just made them! They were great. I had to form the dough with my hands a little bit. I also used Agave nectar because I don't know what golden syrup is. For a non-chocoholic like me, these cookies are the best.

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  13. Mmmmm love Anzac bikkies! My grandmothers are the shiz!
    Im so excited about the royal wedding too haha! Stud doesnt understand what all the fuss is about.

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  14. I have not had Anzac cookies for the longest time ever. I guess it is never too late to have it when I am back in Melbourne.

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  15. Oh I may not have tried Anzac biscuits before but you give me no reason to resists! Yeay to royal wedding, definitely gonna be a spectacle! Have a great week ahead :)

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