ANZAC baking…

Training: Run 5km

    

On the 25th of April, Australia (and New Zealand) celebrated ANZAC Day.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day, is a national day of remembrance and marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand troops in the First World War.

From the Australian War Memorial website:

“The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated, after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers had been killed. News of the landing on Gallipoli had made a profound impact on Australians at home, and 25 April soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war.”

Synonymous with ANZAC day are ANZAC biscuits, which hold a lot of history of their own.  These sweet biscuits, made using rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup, are claimed to have been sent overseas to the soldiers during WW1 (because the ingredients did not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during transportation).

 

I have vivid memories of making endless batches of these beautiful biscuits when I was younger, which we would then hand out to veterans after the  ANZAC day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. It is a tradition that is very dear to my heart, and one that I hope to share with my own children one day.

Whilst this year we weren't able to attend the dawn service, I did put on my apron this evening to make a batch of these delightful biscuits.

And, when I was making the biscuits, I also remembered another not so glamorous tradition associated with these biscuits. Eating the biscuit batter…..very dangerous indeed ;)

There are a lot of recipes out there for ANZAC biscuits – but this is the one that I follow (adapted to be wheat free). It produces a chewy biscuit, just the way I like them.

ANZAC biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup GF flour
• 125g butter
• 2tbs golden syrup
• 1tsp bicarb of soda
• 2 tsp boiling water

Method

Measure and mix the dry ingredients.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and golden syrup.  I do this in the microwave to save time and dishes.

Add the bicarb soda and the boiling water. The mix will froth a little.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients

 

Place teaspoons of the mix onto a lined baking tray and flatten slightly. Don’t place them too close together as the biscuits will spread during cooking.

 

Then bake at 150F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

I guarantee these biscuits will not last long. I think I will send them to work with Mr BBB tomorrow.

What about you? Do you have any special baking memories?

Happy ANZAC baking :)