Anzac Biscuits and Anzac Day in isolation

On Anzac Day in Australia, always the 25th of April,  we remember those heroes, the personnel of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps,  who have fought to defend Australia's freedom in the past, and also those who are still serving in many capacities to protect our country. This year Anzac Day seems even more poignant than ever as we remember our family members who served in both World War 1 and World War 11, the Vietnamese War, and others, whilst we observe all of the remembrance messages from our lounge room. This morning at 6 am, Mr. HRK and I participated in the RSL (Returned Services League) Light up the Dawn Anzac Day service from our driveway with Locky.

We saw 10 people in our street participating, united in spirit, remembering all those who have served and sacrificed for the lifestyle we enjoy in Australia today.  I am so thankful to be living in this great Southern Land right now. However it is important that we also remember and thank all of the amazing people who are still keeping our country functioning during COVID-19, another war of sorts, especially the health workers in the hospitals including nurses, doctors, allied health workers, the paramedics, and also the teachers who are trying to hold classrooms of confused students together. My son-in-law Daniel is a nurse, and our daughter Shannon is a Speech Pathologist, both of them working in a very large hospital where there have been cases of the virus. Worrying times, and there are so many dedicated people to thank.

This photo is of a batch of Anzac biscuits I baked last year, with a slightly different recipe, however they were still delicious but not quite as crispy if I remember correctly. That recipe is on my blog from back then as well.

Yesterday before Anzac Day, our household was slightly chaotic as the dishwasher decided to stop working, so Mr. HRK, alias Mr. DIY spent a large part of the day on the kitchen floor, exploring every nook and cranny of the dishwasher. In a kitchen like mine where a lot of cooking is done, the dishwasher is an essential piece of equipment and I admit I take it for granted that it will be there to perform and clean up for me. Well this morning, Anzac morning, it still wasn't working. Mr. HRK has finally come to the conclusion that a new part needs to be ordered online, at some expense, although still cheaper than calling out a technician so I did the largest washing up this morning that I have done for a long time. I've given myself permission to avoid any unnecessary baking and cooking whenever possible until the dishwasher is fixed. 

Whilst the dishwasher and Mr. HRK were in disarray, I was focussed on producing a crisp batch of Anzac biscuits, chewy wouldn't do. They had to be crisp. So I was working around him, and thankfully biscuits are one of the quickest and easiest  sweets to bake, all going well, so we both survived the experience. This is my biscuit recipe, and I am putting this on my blog for you my freinds, and for me as if I don't make another batch before next Anzac Day my memory could be a bit fuzzy as to what recipe I actually used. 12 months is a long time. There was a lot of Anzac biscuit baking being done yesterday in Australia according to my friends on Facebook, with lots of  suggestions for the best biscuit floating around and thankfully  my recipe worked very well. Baking Anzac biscuits is just another expression of the importance we place on the commemoration of Anzac Day. My son Matthew who is working and living in the Falkland Islands with his family at present, sent me a photo this morning of the batch of Anzacs he made, which I think were to make him feel as if he is participating in the commemorations. Every year he has always attended the Dawn Service in Australia, and in the Falkland Islands normally the Australians and the New Zealanders would attend the Anzac service at the Cenotaph in Stanley, the capital where he lives. I was so proud of him, he produced a crispy batch and a chewy batch to suit all tastes he said. I suspect the crispy batch were a little burnt, ha, ha, but that is besides the point. They all still looked edible.

 Let's Bake, it's not too late.

Anzac Biscuit ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

1 cup sugar, white or brown (I used white castor sugar this time. My friend Robyn used brown, with the same result)

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons golden syrup

125g (4 oz) butter
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method:

• Melt the butter over a low heat in a small saucepan and then add the syrup
• Add the Bicarbonate of soda to the melted butter and syrup. Wait for it to froth up. If it doesn't, you know that the bicarb soda is old and needs replacing
• Mix the oats, sifted flour, sugar, and coconut together in a large separate bowl
• Add the frothy syrup and butter mixture to the dry ingredients
• If the mixture seems to be a bit too wet but it shouldn't be, just add a little extra flour and mix into the dough until it is a good consistency to form into balls
• Place tablespoon fulls of the biscuit mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper
• Press down the biscuits slightly with a fork which may need to be dipped in flour, until they are the shape and size that you want
• Place your  biscuit trays filled with biscuits in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, this will stop the biscuits from spreading on the tray which can happen with Anzac biscuits
• Bake in a moderate oven, 180 deg. C, for 15 minutes until nicely browned. They will crisp up when they are taken out of the oven to cool. Leave them to cool on the biscuit tray until they firm up. If your oven is a really hot oven though, reduce the temperature,

Makes about 25.

Taking a leaf out of the book of the soldiers and military personnel we are remembering, together we will get through during these difficult times. Stay safe and united everyone.

Best wishes,

Pauline