Anzacs

This biscuit or cookie takes its name from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the antipodean soldiers who sustained appalling casualties yet also forged a new sort of identity for their home countries at the time of the Gallipoli landings in April 1915. The day of posting this entry is 'ANZAC Day', and is observed quite widely in Australia as Memorial or Veterans or Remembrance Days are elsewhere.

The connection with the ANZACs is partly commemorative, but the recipe is related to biscuits really sent in food parcels to those at war; made without eggs, and baked until relatively firm, these do store and keep well. The recipe is also delightfully simple.

Ingredients
1 cup plain/all-purpose flour
1 cup coconut ("dessicated" to Australians - the smaller, finer shreds)
1 cup rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 cup brown sugar
4 oz/1 stick butter or margarine
2 Tbps¹ golden syrup,² treacle or honey
2 Tbps hot water
1 tsp bicarb soda/baking soda

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Melt butter with golden syrup in a small saucepan, dissolve bicarb soda in hot water and add to butter/syrup mixture, then add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well. Put spoonfuls (about the size of a walnut) onto baking sheets lined with baking/parchment paper, with space to spread, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until chestnut brown. Remove to cooling trays; biscuits will harden as they cool.

1. Australian Tablespoons are larger than US (20 ml, not 15). US cooks may want to add a little more syrup and water.

2. Australian golden syrup, a cane sugar derivative, is heavier and darker than the English versions such as Lyons which are sometimes available in US stores. I would recommend US treacle instead to ensure the richer flavour.