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.
This dedication from Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" is said at Anzac Day Dawn Ceremonies throughout New Zealand and Australia on 25th April every year. Anzac Day is the day we commemorate the New Zealanders and Australians killed in war and also honour the servicemen and women who have returned from war, or nowdays from peacekeeping duties in war torn countries. It was on the 25th April 1915 the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp landed at Gallipoli and suffered heavy losses.
Concern over the nutritional value of the food their men were receiving during World War 1, resulted in the mothers, wives and girlfriends baking the Anzac biscuit, packing them in airtight Billy Tea tins and shipping them overseas to the soldiers. They were originally called Soldiers biscuits but after the landing at Gallipoli they became known as Anzac biscuits. Anzac being the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp.
Many poultry farmers had joined the services and there was a lack of eggs which is why golden syrup is used as the binding agent.
ANZAC BISCUITS
125g (4 ozs) Flour
150g (6ozs) Sugar
1 cup Coconut
1 cup Rolled Oats
75g (30zs) Butter
2 tablespoon Golden Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 tablespoons Boiling water
Mix together flour, sugar, oats and coconut.
Melt butter and Golden Syrup.
Dissolve Bicarbonate of soda in boiling water and add to butter mixture.
Mix liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients.
Place in spoonfuls onto a cold greased (or lined with baking paper) tray.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes at 180C( 350F).
The mixture may seem a little dry but it will bind together while it cooks. I used a dessertspoonful size and the biscuits were cooked perfectly at 15 minutes baking time. This recipe has been adapted from the Edmonds Cookbook.
