Anzac Biscuits

Anzac biscuits are one of those wonderful rare things: items born out of necessity and entirely successful.  Forget beautiful and useful (thank you, William Morris); my new watchwords are practical and delicious!  Anzac’s were created in Australasia, their function to feed the boys in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (hence, Anzac) fighting in Gallipoli in Turkey.  Made by the mother’s and families of those men, the combination of oats, flour and desiccated coconut meant (and still means) that the biscuits keep really well  - three months being the norm- I know! - without losing any of their texture and flavour over time.   A combination of brown sugar and golden syrup means that they have a lovely mellow sweetness while the coconut adds bite and a nice back note of taste. 

You’ll notice they are naturally egg-free which makes them incredibly easy to adapt; a little gluten flour here, some vegetable oil there and you have an anzac biscuit that tastes exactly as it should.  If you cannot tolerate even gluten-free oats then I’ve heard it recommended that you replace them with cornflakes, lightly crushed – ingenious, I think.  These biscuits are so simple to make, they’re the kind of thing children would enjoy making – all that squishing and shaping -, with supervision, of course.  For me, they’re simply a lovely biscuit, packed full of flavour and just right for dunking into a cup of tea – as all good biscuits should be.  Happy Baking!

ANZAC BISCUITS

Makes 12 biscuits

125g gluten-free plain flour

100g gluten-free oats

100g dark soft brown sugar

50g desiccated coconut

75ml sunflower oil

2 tbsp golden syrup

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 170c and line two baking sheets with parchment – if you only have one baking sheet, don’t panic.  Just bake the biscuits in two batches.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and then stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar until evenly mixed.

Place the bicarbonate of soda into a small bowl and add the boiling water.  Tip this mixture into the dry ingredients along with the oil and golden syrup.  Stir together as much as possible, the mixture will clump in places but still appear quite dry.

Take tablespoons of the biscuit mixture and squeeze together in the palm of your hands so that it binds into a ball – it will be a little crumbly – shape into a ball and press flat between your hands, then place on the baking trays, evenly spaced apart to allow them to spread a little.  Bake in the oven for 15 - 18 minutes, rotating the two trays after ten minutes, until golden brown and fragrant.

Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Carrot and Gingerbread Squares with Lemon Icing

I read recently (in Waitrose magazine, no less) that afternoon tea has come back into fashion, usurping its coffee based competitor as the nation’s favourite drink.  Given that I have always preferred a cup full of pale gold ceylon over a mug of java (the latter, oddly, making my face itch), I’m both pleased and unsurprised that tea is looking like this year’s winner.

There is probably nothing nicer, more comforting, more refreshing and more levelling than a good cup of tea.  I could argue its health benefits: rehydrating, huge numbers of antioxidants, increased bone density, good for the heart, not to mention the positive mental affects of a cup of tea in a crisis.  But actually, I don’t think anybody should ever have to justify having a cup of tea.  It’s one of life’s simple, open-to-all pleasures and should remain that way.  What could be argued as an indulgence is the additional cake part of an afternoon tea.  Tea and cakes being, on the whole, a treat rather than a given.  Nonetheless, sometimes it’s good to go all out and when you do, I really recommend you make these Carrot and Gingerbread Squares with Lemon Icing.

Here, the zesty lemon icing and the addition of finely grated carrot gives this gingerbread a lovely delicate and moist texture and a vibrant tang that suits these glorious and timely, sun-strewn summer months.  This is a lovely, light sweet treat; the perfect foil to a pot of tea and a good chat with friends.

GINGERBREAD SQUARES WITH LEMON ICING

Makes 12 squares

You will need a 7 x 7 inch square tin for this recipe

200g/7oz Doves Farm Gluten Free self-raising flour

200g/7oz soft light brown sugar

100g trimmed and peeled carrot (that’s about 1 large carrot)

55g/2oz dairy-free margarine (Pure Sunflower Spread)

1 heaped tsp Orgran Egg Replacer whisked together with 2 tbsp water

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp golden syrup

240ml/9floz hot water

For the icing

100g/4oz golden icing sugar

1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180c and grease and line the baking tin.  Using a hand held grater, finely grate the carrots and set aside (I really don’t recommend you use a food processor to grate them as they retain so much water and can make the cake soggy.)  Place the flour, sugar, grated carrots, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large mixing bowl and stir together until evenly combined.

Cut the margarine into small chunks and add to the flour mixture.  Using your hands, rub the margarine into the flour until you have a fine breadcrumb like consistency.  Add the golden syrup, egg replacer to the mixture and then pour over the hot water.  Stir together with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined and then pour the mixture into the lined baking tin.

Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes until golden and fragrant and the top is springy when lightly touched.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin while you make up the icing.  Combine the icing sugar with the lemon juice and stir together until smooth.  When the cake has cooled completely, remove from the tin and spread the icing over the top.  Leave to set for 20 minutes or so before cutting into squares and serving.