Sweet, chewy and tack, the iconic oaty and syrupy biscuit have long been associated with the ANZACs who served in World War I.
The story goes that wives and mothers baked these treats for their loved ones serving as soldiers overseas. The from-the-pantry ingredients meant that the biscuits did not spoil easily and could keep well during naval transportation when they were sent over as gifts. Quite notably, eggs and milk, for example, are not in ANZAC biscuits given their scarcity during the war and their perishable properties - an example of how food can not only be a source of energy, but history as well.
Over time, the ANZAC biscuit has been adapted and modified by kitchen creatives. Keeping its staple ingredients, people have added dried fruit, chocolate and other cereals to the mix, and even created a 'raw' no-bake option. Here, we add another historic element to an iconic recipe, incorporating some of our country's native flavours, which have been used for thousands of years.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup macadamias, chopped roughly
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon honey
125g butter, chopped
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced and line a large tray with baking paper.
Combine oats, flour, sugar, coconut and Wattleseed in a bowl. Place butter, syrup and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter has melted. Remove from heat and mix in the bicarb. Now stir the wet mix in with the dry ingredients until just combined.
Place a tablespoons of mixture into your hands and roll into balls. Place on trays about an inch apart and flatten them slightly. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt over each biscuit. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes for softer biscuits and 12- 14 minutes for a crunchier one. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
