ANZAC Biscuits: baking day

"During World War 1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of the Australian soldiers were concerned for the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their men. Here was a problem.

• Any food they sent to the fighting men had to be carried in the ships of the Merchant Navy. Most of these were lucky to maintain a speed of ten knots (18.5 kilometers per hour). Most had no refrigerated facilities, so any food sent had to be able to remain edible after periods in excess of two months. 

• A body of women came up with the answer - a biscuit with all the nutritional value possible. The basis was a Scottish recipe using rolled oats. These oats were used extensively in Scotland, especially for a heavy porridge that helped counteract the extremely cold climate.

• The ingredients they used were: rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter, golden syrup or treacle, bi-carbonate of soda and boiling water. All these items did not readily spoil. At first the biscuits were called Soldiers’ Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits.

• A point of interest is the lack of eggs to bind the ANZAC biscuit mixture together. Because of the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services, thus, eggs were scarce. The binding agent for the biscuits was golden syrup or treacle."

Link to recipes:  recipe

These are the 1st biscuits I ever learnt to cook and I love making them - but I don't make them as often as I use to, for several reasons:

1. I eat too much of the raw biscuit mix (it tastes SO good),
2. Once cooked, I eat far too many of them - all bad for my waist.  

I don't make crisp ANZAC biscuits, I love mine chewy - so I add more butter and golden syrup. - ok that makes them even less healthy!!

How do you like your ANZAC biscuits?

PS My house smells wonderful right now with the smell of biscuits cooking -- no need for air-freshener today.