Here’s a domestic Christchurch pic today, which covers the process of baking Anzac biscuits (made in my kitchen at home in Christchurch). It’s not Anzac Day (April 25th) but any day is a good day to bake Anzac Biscuits.

Anzac biscuits are delicious and very popular Australasian biscuits (that’s cookies for the Americans) that were apparently based on a Scottish Oatmeal Biscuit. I always make mine with Coconut and throw in some sultanas and dried fruit – which makes them extra yummy.

I make my Anzac Biscuits from the Edmonds Cookbook recipe (shown in the photo below). As you might be able to guess, my Edmonds book is covered in baking splodges (and a few notes)!

I think one top secret to making a really good Anzac biscuit, is to make sure that the golden syrup and butter mixture is quite hot when you add the baking soda so it’s really frothy.

Syrup and Soda mixed together – nice and frothy

Next step is folding the frothy syrup mixture into the dried ingredients.

The mixture is quite wet and roll into balls really easy. Then just press them down a little (but not too much). Bake for about 15 minutes depending on how hot your oven is. I take mine out when they spring back from the touch – they are usually still quite soft but harden up once cold.

Hungry yet? This was the final product and I made three dozen. I’m taking them into one of my client’s offices for an afternoon treat, though I had to taste test a couple, just to make sure they were up to my high standard!

And, here’s the recipe I used – from the Edmonds Cookery Book. By the way, you can buy the cookery book online from Whitcoulls a New Zealand book store.

Oh, and if you have a crack at making them, leave me a comment about how it went!

125g flour 1 cup coconut 100g butter 1/2 teaspoon Bicarb of Soda	150g sugar 1 cup rolled oats 1 tablespoon golden syrup 2 tablespoons boiling water
Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Melt butter and golden syrup. Dissolve Bicarb soda in the boiling water and add to the butter and golden syrup. Make a well in the centre of flour, stir in the liquid. Place in spoonfuls on a greased tray. Bake 15-20 mins at 180 degrees Celsius.