ANZAC Biscuits with Oats and Golden Syrup
Golden, crunchy biscuits made with rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup, that keep for weeks in an airtight tin.
Golden, crunchy biscuits made with rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup, that keep for weeks in an airtight tin.
These biscuits, we made them so they'd survive the journey — no egg, lots of golden syrup, oats and coconut, and they keep for weeks in a tin. As a child, I always slipped a few into my bag, and even today I take some on the plane when I leave Australia. The secret is the bicarb in the melted butter that fizzes: it makes them light. Bite them well golden so they crack, or take them out a bit earlier if you like them chewy — at home, that was always a family argument.
- •Rolled oats — a large cup (base)
- •Desiccated coconut — a cup (texture)
- •Flour — a cup (binder)
- •Golden syrup — two spoonfuls (binder and flavour)
- •Butter — a good knob (fat)
- •Bicarbonate of soda — a pinch (lightness)
ANZAC Biscuits with Oats and Golden Syrup
Golden, crunchy biscuits made with rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup, that keep for weeks in an airtight tin.
Why this dish? The ANZAC biscuit is a treasure of Australian heritage, designed to keep well and travel. For an Australian living on the other side of the world like Nicole Kidman, it's the taste of childhood that withstands suitcases and long flights between Sydney, Los Angeles and Nashville.
These biscuits, we made them so they'd survive the journey — no egg, lots of golden syrup, oats and coconut, and they keep for weeks in a tin. As a child, I always slipped a few into my bag, and even today I take some on the plane when I leave Australia. The secret is the bicarb in the melted butter that fizzes: it makes them light. Bite them well golden so they crack, or take them out a bit earlier if you like them chewy — at home, that was always a family argument.
Ingredients (period version)
- Rolled oats — a large cup (base)
- Desiccated coconut — a cup (texture)
- Flour — a cup (binder)
- Golden syrup — two spoonfuls (binder and flavour)
- Butter — a good knob (fat)
- Bicarbonate of soda — a pinch (lightness)
Ingredients
- Rolled oats — 100 g (crunchy base)
- Desiccated coconut — 85 g (texture and flavour)
- Flour — 150 g (structure)
- Sugar — 100 g (sweetness)
- Butter — 125 g (fat)
- Golden syrup — 2 tbsp (binder and caramelised flavour)
- Bicarbonate of soda — 1 tsp (lightness)
- Boiling water — 2 tbsp (activates the bicarbonate)
Method
- Mix oats, coconut, flour and sugar.
- Melt butter with golden syrup.
- Dissolve bicarbonate in boiling water, add to the butter (it will foam), then pour into the dry ingredients.
- Form small flattened balls on a baking tray, spacing them apart.
- Bake at 160 °C for about 12-15 minutes, until a nice golden colour.
- Leave to cool and harden on the tray, then store in an airtight tin.
How it was made : The ANZAC biscuit dates back to World War I: eggless and rich in syrup, it kept long enough to be shipped to Australian and New Zealand soldiers (ANZAC). Now a national emblem, it is a classic for 'morning tea'.
The contemporary twist : Presented in a pretty vintage metal tin, like a parcel ready to cross the Pacific.
Sources : Tradition du biscuit ANZAC — Australian War Memorial
Nicole Kidman · Charactorium