History

ANZAC was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, early on the morning of 25 April 1915, during World War I.

As a result, April 25th each year is a national holiday in Australia, marked by solemn ceremonies of remembrance, gratitude and national pride for the men and women who fought and died in all wars. (Anzac Day is similar to Veteran's Day for Americans.) Typically, Anzac Day begins with services at dawn, and thousands of people attend. The motto of the day is always, "Lest We Never Forget". The 2003 Anzac Day services were special, because the last remaining ANZAC veteran from that first battle at Gallipoli died this year. The entire country mourned his passing, at 103 years of age.

Anyway, back to the cookies… during World War 1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of the Australian soldiers were concerned about the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their men. The problem was that any food they sent to the troops had to be carried in ships that had no refrigeration, so all foodstuffs had to be able to remain edible for at least two months. A group of women came up with the answer - a biscuit (what Americans would call a cookie) with no eggs (because most of the poultry farmers were at war, so eggs were scarce) and with golden syrup or corn syrup used as a binding agent.

As the war drew on, many women devoted a great deal of time to the making of Anzac biscuits. To ensure that the cookies remained crisp, they were transported in airtight tea or cookie tins. Today, though, they can be made either thin and crispy, or soft and chewy.

Around Anzac Day, these biscuits are often sold by veterans' organisations to raise funds for the care and welfare of aged war veterans. They are also baked in nearly every Australian home throughout the year, but especially on Anzac Day.

Enjoy them on their own, or dunk them in coffee or hot tea. And think about the brave men who fought in Gallipoli, and the clever women who supported them.

Recipe - Australian

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup desiccated coconut (not avail in the US so I just use the shredded)
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 tablespoons Golden Syrup (can be purchased at Cost Plus World Market)
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, and coconut. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the syrup.
4. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water, and add to butter mixture. Stir to combine. (Be careful; if the butter is hot, it will bubble up considerably.)
5. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
   (I find it helps to put the dough in the refrigerator until it cools at this point,
   unless you prefer the cookies very flat and crispy).
6. Using a 1½-inch ice-cream scoop or a spoon, drop onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart (pack the scoop tightly if the mixture crumbles). Flatten cookies slightly with a spoon or the heel of your hand.
7. Bake until golden brown and firm but not hard, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
8. Makes about 3 dozen.

Recipe - American

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded coconut 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups sugar 1 cup margarine or butter
• 2 tsp soda 4 Tbsp boiling water
• 4 Tbsp golden syrup or molasses (or 2 Tbsp molasses & 2 Tbsp corn syrup)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Mix the coconut, oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add the molasses/corn syrup and water. Pour the saucepan mixture into the flour mixture.
4. Stir with a spoon until well-mixed. Drop the dough onto the cookie sheet with a teaspoon.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden.
6. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet with a spatula. Place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.