I’m certain our mother wouldn’t mind sharing her ANZAC biscuit recipe in commemoration of ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp est. WW1) on 25 April. It’s a standard recipe anyway, a tradition adopted since World Wars I & II. Which one exactly, and how this recipe became identified with ANZAC or the First World War, is unknown.
It has been claimed that wives and mothers would send biscuits to their soldiers in Europe. They were inexpensive to make, lasted a long trip by sea, and could be eaten over time. I also heard another story that they were not sent to our soldiers but instead made at home by our Aussies and Kiwis to raise funds for the war. No matter the history, they were baked for a worthy reason and remain one of the best biscuit recipes ever.
Discussions on ANZAC biscuits can be surprisingly divergent whether it be slight modifications to their recipe or preferences over thickness and texture. I like them thinner with a crispy bite, others prefer thicker and chewy. Either way, they all taste divine.
I delight in giving a jar full of biscuits with a little commemorative note to my unit complex neighbours. My sister Annie bakes for her annual ANZAC Memorial function at St James Church Gallery & History centre in Waratah, Tasmania. Our family calls them Marie’s ANZAC Biscuits purely because our mum made them.
I share this recipe in commemoration of our ANZACs and ancestors who protected our country, in loving memory of our mum Marie Dunham who took enormous pride filling up the jars, for our dad Keith Dunham Snr. and for my brother Keith Dunham Jnr. all of whom loved them extremely thin and crunchy. Lest We Forget.
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ANZAC Biscuits
Ingredients
125 gram or ¼ lb butter
1 tablespoon golden Syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup plain flour
1 cup castor sugar
Method
Dissolve butter and golden syrup in a large pot.
Add bicarbonate dissolved in the boiling water, to the pot and mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and mix.
Teaspoon onto a baking tray with baking paper on the tray.
Cook in 150C preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Leave on the tray until cool. Store in an airtight container.
Acknowledgments: www.awm.gov.au ,various Google recipes, Central Cookery Book, CWA Esk Valley Cookery Book New Edition (Golden Crunch Biscuits), and our mother’s Cookbook
Ruth Greening holds a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Psychology & Philosophy. Before retirement, she worked for over 40 years in the corporate world in Melbourne and Brisbane and progressed into senior management positions and project roles for both private industry and government.
In her 70’s, she continues in casual roles as a freelance writer, model, and actor participating in small movies, TV commercials and User Generated Content.
As a grandmother, she is known as Nanny Babe to her grandchildren and writes from a Baby Boomer perspective on her blog www.nannybabe.com. An avid crafter Ruth actively participates in sewing, crocheting and knitting.
While she continues to pursue her artistic passions, Ruth is dedicated to maintaining her health and fitness as she ages by attending the gym, dancing and walking and thrives on mentoring others.
Connect with Ruth or our moniker Nanny Babe; nannybabegengp.blogspot.com.au/
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