Anzac biscuits with hazelnuts

Today is Anzac Day: the 25th April. This day originally marked the Australia and New Zealand Army Corp who fell at Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI, but (like our own commemorative events) has since come to represent remembrance for all Australian and New Zealand war dead, injured and survivors. Very sad that these remembrance events seem to keep having to expand to incorporate ever new and terrifying conflicts.

These biscuits are supposed to have been made to raise money for the front line men, rather than be sent out to them. They are rather hard and somewhat ‘municipal’ if you follow the original recipes. So I’ve taken a recipe from the 1940’s book that I had and added some extra nuts and some additional butter and golden syrup to make them a teeny bit more chewy.

I have also kept to wholemeal flour (many modern recipes stipulate all white or 50:50) and I’ve swapped granulated for demerara which complements the nutty tang of the hazelnuts.

Makes about 30 x 4cm biscuits

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Bowl
• Lined baking sheets

Ingredients

• Demerara – 120g
• Wholemeal flour – 100g
• Dessicated coconut – 50g
• Golden syrup – 1 1/2 tablespoons
• Unsalted butter – 100g
• Bicarbonate of soda – 1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped hazelnuts – 30g
• Water – 1 tablespoon
• Salt – a pinch

Method

1. Turn the oven on to 160C fan, 180C conventional
2. Gently melt the butter and golden syrup together
3. In a bowl add the flour, nuts, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar and coconut
4. Pour the melted butter/syrup in and add stir to combine
5. Add in the water and bring the mix together with your hands
6. Roll a tablespoon-sized amount together in your hands (you have to crush it a bit to get it to stick – this isn’t a very tacky mix)
7. Pop this ball of biscuit dough down on the prepared baking tray and flatten it into a disc with your hand
8. Repeat for the whole mix
9. Bake in the oven for about 18 minutes
10. Leave to cool on the tray

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