Anzac Biscuits

Have you ever tried these deliciously classic Australian biscuits?  Apparently, they were originally named for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, being sent out by wives and mothers to serving soldiers overseas.   I imagine they would keep quite well, and they are made of everyday household ingredients, but no eggs.

I've just come back from a holiday to Australia, where these iconic biscuits are widely available.  I'm sure that the original recipe has mutated slightly, and I made these ones with rice flour, so they are gluten free, and soft brown sugar as it seemed to be more suitable for rugged Australian biscuits!

Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Biscuits

3oz/85g desiccated coconut

3oz/85g rolled oats

3.5oz/100g plain flour (or rice flour)

3.5oz100g sugar (I used soft brown sugar)

3.5oz100g butter

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tbsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and put baking parchment on two to three baking trays.    In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, oats, flour and sugar.   Melt the butter and syrup together in the microwave.   Put the boiling water into a cup and drop in the bicarbonate of soda.  Pour this fizzing mixture into the butter/syrup mix and stir.

Stir the butter and syrup mixture into the dry ingredients, and keep stirring until it is all mixed in.   Allowing space to spread, put gently heaped dessertspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking trays (I worked on about 6 per tray).   Bake for 8 minutes or so until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and leave the biscuits on the parchment for a few minutes so that they stiffen before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.  It is easier to put them in in batches, but don't forget the last one...

This makes about 26 biscuits, by no means identical!