They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
It is April and Anzac Day is nearly upon us.
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance here in New Zealand, and in Australia. Both countries commemorate it on 25th of April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli.
I decided to mark this day by baking some traditional Anzac biscuits, or “crispies” as they used to be known! This recipe has long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps established in World War I. As the story goes, wives, mothers and girlfriends sent the biscuits to soldiers abroad. The ingredients did not spoil easily and kept extremely well during transportation, which was sometimes up to 2 months!
At first the biscuits were called Soldiers’ Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits. You may notice the lack of eggs to bind the ANZAC biscuit mixture together. Because of the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services; therefore, little wee eggs were very scarce.
I remember Anzac biscuits being one of the first recipes I learnt to cook as a child. They were a firm family favourite in my family and still are. Easy to make and they taste great!
Lest we forget.
ANZAC Biscuits
Makes 15
- 1 cup plain flour, sifted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup quick oats
- 3/4 cup dessicated coconut
- 125 grams butter
- 4 tablespoons golden syrup
- 4 tablespoons boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt the butter and golden syrup together in the microwave or on the stovetop. Dissolve the baking soda in hot water, then add to the butter and syrup mixture. Add foaming mixture to dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Mixture should be firm enough to roll into a ball on a teaspoon. If not, you may have to add a little bit more flour! Place balls on tray and press each gently with a fork.
The biscuits like to spread as they bake so be careful not to place them too close together on the tray. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 150 degrees, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven. Allow the Anzac biscuits to cool on the tray for a few minutes.
After Taste 