feeding the troops with Anzac biscuits

Posted on March 22, 2011 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Monkey Boy has a multicultural day at school this week, which asked everyone to bring in a plate of food from their respective cultures. I needed something quick, easy, nut free and not requiring a whole lot of thought process. Also something I could do the weekend before, so it had to store well.

Anzac Biscuits you didn’t fail me.

Out of my trusty CWA cookbook, the ever present Anzac Biscuit recipe lay proudly on its page. An eggless biscuit (cookie) initially created to send to troops in far off lands during war time. Wives, mothers and daughters made these biscuits for their loved soldiers, using ingredients that they could easily get hold of and could still be eaten after a long transportation time.

Maybe this time I would even follow the whole recipe to the letter. No short cuts and no changes… Imagine that.

On closer inspection of my pantry I discovered I didn’t have some of the ingredients, so would have to adapt. (I clearly wasn’t meant to follow recipes to the letter.)

I think my biscuits were a bit softer and paler due to less bicarb soda and using the self raising flour instead, (if you want them crunchier, just cook them for a touch longer). Still good to eat though, and I didn’t need to put in that much sugar as was originally called for. As the only troops that were going to be eating my ANZAC biscuits were a class full of excitable five year olds.

ANZAC Biscuits

125g melted butter in a bowl

now add

3 tablespoons golden syrup (*1 tablespoon)

in a little cup

2 tablespoons boiling water

and

1/2 tsp bicarb soda (*1 tsp)

add the bicarb mixture to the golden syrup mixture, then add

100g (1 cup) rolled oats

90g (1 cup) desiccated coconut

110g (1/2 cup) raw sugar (*220g sugar)

150g (1 cup) plain flour

(*original recipe amounts)

Roll in to balls and squish down. Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

33 thoughts on “feeding the troops with Anzac biscuits”

Keri on March 22, 2011 at 5:05 pm said:

Yum! I love Anzacs : )

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:32 pm said:
  
  They are good aren’t they.
  
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thecompletecookbook on March 22, 2011 at 5:36 pm said:

These are the kind of cookies where I would say “oh I will have just one more with my tea”.
🙂 Mandy

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:33 pm said:
  
  They are. So it was far safer to send them off to school and only leave me with one…or was it three.
  
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bagnidilucca on March 22, 2011 at 5:44 pm said:

I love Anzac biscuits. I used to make them with my mum when I was a girl all thos years ago. I still make them occasionally, thanks for the reminder.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:36 pm said:
  
  They certainly are a good one to make with kids, nothing tricky.
  Do you think the Italians would eat them for breakfast dunked in their latte?
  
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  - bagnidilucca on March 25, 2011 at 7:20 am said:
    
    Probably not, they are not Italian.
    
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Choclette on March 22, 2011 at 6:26 pm said:

Ha ha, it’s impossible to follow recipes exactly I’ve found – sign of a true cook maybe???

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:37 pm said:
  
  I don’t know about that 🙂 It’s like an in built mantra…”must not follow recipe…”
  
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Celia on March 22, 2011 at 7:14 pm said:

They look great – good on you for finding the time to do this with everything else that’s going on! 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:39 pm said:
  
  I think it would have physically pained me to buy something and send it in… and it keeps me sane.
  
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Sonia on March 22, 2011 at 8:32 pm said:

Yum! I made an ANZAC slice last year and it was sooo easy. I think I’ll do it again this year.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:43 pm said:
  
  Brilliant Sonia! Slice… That’s what I will do next.
  
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Johanna GGG on March 22, 2011 at 9:48 pm said:

ANZAC biscuits are so reliable and so much nicer than the ones in the packet that will be all over the supermarkets soon

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:44 pm said:
  
  The are good and reliable aren’t they.
  The packet ones are always far too sweet.
  
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Citysister on March 22, 2011 at 9:58 pm said:

I love the story behind them. I make a chocolate crinkle cookie that has been sent to Afghanistan with great integrity and great chew still. I’ll have to try these as I have never heard of them here in the States.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:48 pm said:
  
  Give them a go. Apparently they could last 2 months (?) while being sent to soldiers. They would never last that long at my place to try it though. (Just cook them to crunchy if you did send them.)
  
  …and that’s pretty awesome that your chocolate cookies are all the way to Afganistan. I’ll bet they were eaten with a lot of gusto!
  
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drfugawe on March 22, 2011 at 11:13 pm said:

There is a favorite ‘surplus’ grocery store here-abouts that i frequent as often as I can – one day sev years ago I came on a large stack of boxes marked ‘Anzac Biscuits’ – seems that they were baked in Australia by an organization like our American Legion as a fund raiser – apparently, not all were sold at home.

I bought a few boxes, took them home, and tried one – I don’t think I’ve ever had a more delicious commercial cookie (as we call them). For whatever reason, I have completely forgotten them – until now! Don’t know why I never tried to make my own? But with your assistance, I shall now – we’ll see if they match my memory.

Hope all is healing well.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 12:57 pm said:
  
  Apparently they were launched in the US a few years back and help raise money for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Also in the UK and India. (Now where would I be without trusty google.)
  Hope they match your memory, (thanks for the healing thoughts too.)
  
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Bruise Mouse on March 23, 2011 at 12:11 am said:

We all love ANZACs in this house. It is getting towards that time of year again. I think I will need to make some on the weekend. Your photos are making my mouth water.
I use my CWA quite often. My all time favourite banana cake recipe comes from this book.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm said:
  
  I’ve only recently got the CWA recipe book. There is some brilliant stuff in there and some that raise an eyebrow as well.
  
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  - Bruise Mouse on March 23, 2011 at 7:23 pm said:
    
    I love the bits about how to feed 100 people at a cattle sale. Things like 6 tongues… Mmmmm
    
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  - cityhippyfarmgirl on March 24, 2011 at 11:56 am said:
    
    I’ll have to look for that one! Some of them are crackers, Rum Omelette or Milk Soup anyone?
    
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Rita on March 23, 2011 at 2:50 am said:

What a lovely story behind these cookies: they sound great! Is your Little Monkey ok now?

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 23, 2011 at 1:02 pm said:
  
  He is getting there Rita. Thanks for asking.
  
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Anna on March 23, 2011 at 5:24 pm said:

I love Anzacs, I worked at the National Convention Centre when I was an apprentice, Anzacs were on the Morning & Afternoon Tea menu, I reckon I’ve made around a million of these little beauties.
Hope the little monkey loved them.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 24, 2011 at 12:25 pm said:
  
  He did like them Anna 🙂 I’ll bet you’ve made a lot of them!
  
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Mariana on March 23, 2011 at 6:19 pm said:

I just love supporting the CWA. I have several of their books. Simple and basic is sometimes the best formula. I find they make great gifts too. Especially accompanied with a lovely little jar of homemade jam, etc.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 24, 2011 at 5:00 pm said:
  
  I only recently got the CWA Preserves book, but am so impressed with it. Really simple, no faffing about and the photography is lovely. I agree would make a great present Mariana.
  
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  - Mariana on March 25, 2011 at 8:31 pm said:
    
    Yep. I recently bought the same book Good to see you enjoy supporting the CWA as well. Although to be honest, Im pretty hooked on anything that has the word ‘preserves’ in it.
    
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heidi on March 24, 2011 at 12:08 pm said:

I tried making these once. I messed them up royally- thanks for the recipe- I’m going to try them again.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on March 24, 2011 at 5:01 pm said:
  
  Give them a crack Heidi and let me know how they turn out 🙂
  
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Christine on March 24, 2011 at 9:37 pm said:

Yum! I love Anzacs – soft and chewy or hard and crunchy, however they come is fine by me! Your CWA book sounds like a Lady Flo book I have, a staple at the back of the bookcase filled with ever reliable recipes on just about anything. I wonder if she was ever in the CWA….? I have eyed off the CWA book recently in a book store..what a revamp it’s had! 🙂

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