ANZAC Day - ANZAC biscuits 'The Army Biscuit'

Our ANZAC biscuit tin from last year

It is ANZAC day here is Australia today, and I decided to make a batch of ANZAC biscuits for the kids and of course take photos to go along with it!

There are a few theories on the origins of ANZAC biscuits ('The Army biscuit') but it is certain that they came about during the First World War, around 1914/15.
Some say that they started as biscuits made by the Troops in the trenches with provisions they had at hand to relieve the boredom of their battle rations. And some say they came about due to resourceful of the women on the "home front" in an endeavour to make a treat for their loved ones that would survive the long journey by post to the war front.
Whatever the origin, they have won the hearts of Aussies the globe over as the pseudo National Biscuit. And here is how to make them, it is really easy.

The finished product cooling on the wire rack

Chewy ANZAC Biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats (regular oatmeal) uncooked
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp golden syrup (or honey)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp boiling water

Method

Combine the flour (sifted), oats, coconut and sugar in a bowl.

Melt the butter and Golden Syrup (or honey) in a saucepan over a low heat.

Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water and add to the butter and Golden Syrup.
Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spoon dollops of mixture, about the size of a walnut shell, onto a greased tin leaving as much space again between dollops to allow for spreading (as you can see in the photos, I just didn't leave enough space between mine).

Bake in a moderate oven, 180C / 350F, for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and seal in airtight containers.

Tips

The American tablespoon is a little smaller than our tablespoon, so be generous with your Golden Syrup (or Honey) and Water.

An original recipe for much harder biscuites can be found at the Australian War Memorial web site

Above, Ready to go in the oven and Below, Just out of the oven!

What is ANZAC Day?

Anzac Day, April 25th, is a day that is very dear to the heart of Australians, a day when we remember those that have fallen in times of war, in service to their country. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp.

ANZAC means much more than that, it is what it means to be a Digger - a Battler. The official Gallipoli Campaign historian, CEW Bean once said the ANZAC spirit "stood, and still stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship and endurance that will never own defeat".

The Gallipoli Campaign

Anzac day is held in both Australia and New Zealand on the anniversary of the first major offensive to use ANZAC troops on the shores of Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915.
When World War I began nine months earlier, 4^th August 1914, Australia committed 20,000 volunteer troops to the war effort under the control of the British Armed Forces. Those troops were soon on their way to Egypt where a plan was underway at the request of the Russians to neutralise the Turkish war effort and effectively take them out of the war.

At 06:00 hours on the 25th of April 1915, the First Expeditionary Forces of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp landed on the beaches of Gallipoli, now known as ANZAC Cove, to an unexpected welcome. The plan was for the ANZAC's to attack the Turks across the peninsular destroying the Turkish defences in the Dardenelles and leave the channel open for the British to sail into Constantinople and remove Turkey from the war completely.

However, the British plans were made based on outdated tourist maps of the area, and instead of landing on open grasslands the ANZACs found themselves facing rolling hills and steep cliffs covered with prickly bushes and defended by a very tenacious Turkish Army.

What was planned to be a quick and decisive strike soon turned into a stalemate.

source 'Aussie Slang Website'

.... Just another day ....