During the First World War woman of men who were at war were worried about the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their loved ones.
As food that was being sent to the soldiers was being carried in the Merchant Navy ships travelling at a speed of ten knots, taking several months to arrive, the food sent needed to last! The men’s clever ladies came up with an answer- a sturdy, nutritional biscuit that would last the distance.
The biscuit was based on a Scottish recipe using rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter and golden syrup, baking soda and boiling water, as these ingredients did not easily spoil. Eggs were not used in the recipe as during the war many of the poultry farmers had joined the service therefore making eggs scarce instead golden syrup or treacle was used as a binding agent.
Originally these biscuits were called Soldiers’ Biscuits but were later named Anzac biscuits after landing on Gallipoli.
Want to make your own?
Try the never failing Edmonds Cook book ANZAC recipes:
½ cup Champion standard grade flour
½ cup sugar
¾ cup coconut
¾ cup Fleming’s rolled oats
100g butter
1Tbsp golden syrup
½ tsp Edmonds baking soda
2 Tbsp boiling water
Preheat oven to 180c. Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Melt butter and golden syrup. Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water and add to butter and golden syrup. Stir butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Place level tablespoons of mixture 4 to 5 cm apart on cold greased oven trays. Flatten with a floured fork. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 22
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