ANZAC biscuits need no introduction for Antipodeans - these cookies are inextricably linked to our World War I soldiers and are supposed to have been baked and mailed by the soldiers' wives due to their long shelf life. Caramelised with golden syrup and chewy with rolled oats, it's not difficult to understand why the recipe has persevered. I made them this week to share with an overseas visitor at my workplace.
I haven't made a lot of ANZACs in my time, and I find it challenging to get the texture right. I want them golden - which takes time - yet chewy, which requires that they're not overbaked! Baked for 12-14 minutes, these were perfect warm out of the oven, then very crunchy once cool.
I've seen chocolate-chipped variations around and I'm sure they're very tasty (and an absolute luxury when compared to the biscuit's origin). One of my colleagues mentioned adding wattleseed to the mix, which appeals to me both for its likely flavour and its Aussie endemism.
ANZAC biscuits
(a widespread traditional recipe,
which I accessed from the New Zealand Woman's Weekly)
1 cup plain flour
1 cup castor sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups rolled oats
125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 tablespoons boiling water
Preheat an oven to 180°C. Line a couple of baking trays with paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Make a well in the centre.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter and golden syrup. Pour them into the dry ingredients stir everything together.
In a mug, stir together the bicarb soda and boiling water. Add them to the biscuit mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
Roll the mixture into balls, about an inch in diameter, and place them on the baking trays with a couple of inches space between each one.
Bake the biscuits for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
ANZACs are my boyfriends favourite biscuits so I've had A LOT of practice making them! I agree, it's hard to get that perfect mix of golden and chewy. You might need to try a lower temperature for a little longer.
ReplyDeleteI use my Grandma's recipe (which was probably just from the Australian Women's Weekly years ago) which recommends a slow oven/250-275 gas (which is 120-140C) for 20 mins, although I've scribbled a note that says "17 mins for nice soft chewy ones". Mine also have less oats (only 1 cup) and coconut (3/4 cup) so I don't know if that is affecting your texture at all?
Thanks Renae - I think you might be right that I should try a cooler oven next time.
DeleteI think the history is... that the womens weekly put out a competition for recipes that didnt use eggs for care packages...
ReplyDeleteanzacs are yummy!! I'm going to have to try and come up with a gluten free version!
Carla - yes! Veganising this is easy but I wondered about gluten free...
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_biscuit has a good history/ingredients/info list.. Apparently it was just published in books, but the first book to call it an "anzac biscuit" was for something we don't call an anzac biscuit today at all!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mattheworbit! I love the bit about Vet Affairs taking on Subway. :-D
Deletegetting them right isn't easy but when they are right they are fantastic! I have seen a version with dried apricots that I fancied making - and I must say that home made beats the pants off store bought
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think of dried fruit, Johanna! Another nice idea.
DeleteOooh! Wattleseed! I absolutely have to integrate that into my no-bake ANZAC balls recipe :D
ReplyDeleteYes, it might fare better there even than in these biscuits! I've enjoyed wattleseed more in uncooked batters than in baked goods so far. :-P
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