ANZAC Biscuits

It’s amazing how so much of our cultural rituals are tied up with food.  It all started for me mid-last week when I was given a handful of mini easter eggs from a fitness trainer after outdoor training at 7.30 in the morning (yeah that was weird).  Before I knew what was happening, I had eaten all 6 before I even got back to the car.  It was all downhill from there – once you’ve had a sugar hit that early you lose all sense of reason.  

So after I got to work I managed to scoff 2 more (bigger) easter eggs that some work friends had lovingly placed on my desk.  Then I pulled out the hot cross buns that I had made the night before to share with my workmates, and had to try one of those.  You get the picture. 

Now all of a sudden I turn around and it’s ANZAC day tomorrow and I haven’t even made any biscuits yet!  Plus I’ve just got back from 3 nights of camping and find myself itching to cook something after 3 days of camp-food – bacon + eggs for breakfast; sausage rolls + hot cross buns for lunch; and pub grub / bowling club early bird specials / expensive but tasty gourmet pizzas for our dinners.

Right now, as I type, the delicious aroma of freshly baked biscuits are wafting across the kitchen, urging me to hurry up and get the kettle on. 

This is the first time I’ve made ANZAC biscuits, and it definitely won't be the last.  They couldn’t be easier. 

Enjoy the super long weekend!

Ingredients - makes about 16 big biscuits 

1 cup rolled oats


1 cup plain flour

¾ cup caster sugar


¾ cup coconut


125g soft butter


3 tbsp golden syrup


½ tsp bicarbonate of soda


1 tbsp boiling water

Directions

Preheat oven to 170°C. Line two trays with baking paper.

Combine your flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl. 

Melt the butter with the golden syrup (I used the microwave on medium power). Dissolve the bi-carb into the water and add this to the butter mixture. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Wet your hands a little and roll a small amount of the mixture into the size of a golf ball.  Flatten out between your hands and place on the trays, leaving room for them to spread out. 

Place the trays in the oven and bake for 18 mins, alternating the position of your trays half way (as most ovens are hotter on the bottom).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the trays before devouring.