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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

What's Cooking: Anzacs for my Anzac

So I have packed up another care package for my husband.....this is third batch of Anzac biscuits I have sent him since he went away.

Anzac Biscuits are synonymous with military service here. In the first world war Australians and New Zealanders would bake these biscuits to send to their loved ones on the frontline. Given the long distance the biscuits had to travel they needed to be sturdy, and retain their freshness! Actually, though, they are best consumed fresh from the oven with a cold glass of milk.

These biscuits will be exposed to extreme heat before they get to my husband - it is 50C where he is. Also, given the vagaries of the Australian Forces Postal Service it could take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks for this package to reach him.


I hope he knows I am thinking of him here when he opens it.

And for anyone who might be inclined to try to make Australia's favourite biscuit, here is the recipe I use. It is not exactly traditional - the cinnamon wasn't in it in the old days. This is a really easy recipe for kids to be involved with too.

Cinnamon Anzac Biscuits


Makes about 40


Ingredients
150g (1 cup) plain flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
125g (1 1/3 cups) rolled oats
85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
115g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
55g (1/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125g butter, cubed
60ml (1/4 cup) golden syrup
2 tbs water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat oven to 150C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Sift together the flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the rolled oats,coconut, caster sugar and brown sugar, and mix well.

Combine the butter, golden syrup and water in a small saucepan, and stirover medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Add immediately tothe dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined.

Roll walnut-sized portions of mixture into balls and place on the lined trayabout 5cm apart. Use your fingers to flatten each slightly (until they areabout 1cm thick) and bake in preheated oven for 18 minutes for crisp on theoutside and chewy in the centre. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutesto cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

6 comments:

  1. I hadn't heard of Anzac Biscuits before - I've got a friend posted in Iraq, maybe I could send some to him!

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  2. Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices. I love it in ccokies and, dare I say, coffee! I'll have to give the recipe a try this winter!

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  3. Thanks for the recipe. anything Australian has a special spot in my heart, and another cookie that can put up with the heat is great! I have adopted a soldier in Iraq and one in Afghanistan since my DH is home from his last deployment, and right about now I'm SICK of making snickerdoodles.

    I lived in Hunter's Hill many many moons ago when my dad was at the US Consulate in Sydney and loved it!

    LAW

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  4. I was in Melbourne for ANZAC day and it was great. I didn't get up early enough for the parade but I did go visit the soldier shrine.

    ANZAC cookies are so good! You just reminded me that I have 2 boxes of Tim Tams left. I hope I can find some place here (in LA) that sells them: Australian post is so expensive!

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  5. I should have sent these to my cousin when he was in Iraq! We are such a cookie family!

    PS I love that you also included gummi bears in the package!

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  6. I've never heard of those cookies before but they sounds delish!! I'll have to give them a try soon- thanks for the recipe.

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