ANZAC Biscuits

 My littlest girls’ nursery school class is studying Australia this week. When I was in nursery school at the YWCA in New Jersey, I am sure that we did little more than sit on our carpet squares listening to stories read aloud, and play in the sand/litter box. I remember loving it, until the day that my sweetheart, Joey, threw sand in my face.

I cook with the twins’ class every Monday morning and thought about tying Australia in with our baking exercise. After a brief snoop around Google I came up with ANZAC biscuits. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and these little biscuits (or cookies, as we Americans would say) are said to have been by sent to soldiers by their wives during WWI. After reading that one of the reasons ANZAC biscuits were so treasured by army wives was that the cookies lasted months before spoiling, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of flavor.

I was totally wrong—they are delicious—like a simple, satisfying oatmeal cookie. And they are so easy to make, my ten year old made a batch by herself.

ANZAC biscuits are lovely on their own, but are also perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for dunking.

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup light, soft brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
125 grams butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (honey in the States)
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 160C (325F). Mix the flour, oats, sugar and coconut together.

2) Melt the butter then stir in the golden syrup (or honey), water and bicarbonate of soda (baking powder). Mix this into the dry until a stiff dough forms.

3) Grease a baking tray. Roll the dough into walnut size balls—you should come up with about 24. Place them on the baking tray and bake for exactly 12 minutes.