The History Of ANZAC Day Biscuits
This will vary, depending on who you talk to, but general consensus is that the first version of this rolled oats-based biscuit cropped up around 1823, and over the next century took on a slew of different names, including ‘surprise biscuits’ and ‘crispies’. Around the early WW1 years, the name evolved to ‘Red Cross Biscuits’, or ‘Soldier’s Biscuits’, as they were baked for sales to raise money for war efforts.
According to the ABC, the biscuits were also frequently sent to soldiers abroad, as the ingredients were known to travel well and last a long time without turning mouldy, thank to the then-lack of eggs. Nowadays, butter, eggs and coconut make for a delicious biscuit to be enjoyed with remembrance and respect – not just on April 25, but all year round.
Nutritionist Fiona Tuck shares her Rosemary Anzac Day Biscuit recipe.
Rosemary Anzac Day Biscuits
Recipe (makes 20 cookies):
Ingredients:
· 1 cup buckwheat flour
· 1 cup rolled oats
· ½ cup sulphite-free desiccated
· coconut
· 1 cup coconut sugar
· ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
· 1 tsp dried rosemary
· 125g butter
· 1/3 cup rice malt syrup
· 2 tbs filtered water
Method:
· Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
· Combine the flour, oats, coconut, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and rosemary in a bowl.
· Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the rice malt syrup and water and stir until combined. Remove from heat.
· Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.
· Using a teaspoon, form walnut-sized balls of Rosemary Anzac Day biscuits mixture and place on the prepared baking tray 4cm apart (the cookies will spread as they bake). Bake for 10 minutes or until just golden.
· Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
