ANZACS

Power Biscuits from Down Under

First, in 1642, Abel Tasman landed in New Zealand, followed by James Cook in 1770 at Botany Bay, Australia. However, for a long time, it wasn’t clear that these two countries, then still colonies, would one day go to war together—or have to.

World War I was already in full swing. The Allies were fighting on multiple fronts, including against the Ottoman Empire, which was then referred to as the “sick man of the Bosporus.”

In 1915, the British War Council, under Winston Churchill, planned to capture the strategically important Gallipoli Peninsula (Gelibolu) to then take Istanbul, thereby securing control over access to the Black Sea. For this operation, the British needed sufficient military forces. However, the entire campaign turned into a disaster for both the British and their allies.

The ANZAC troops—an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps—landed on April 25, 1915. The Battle of Gallipoli resulted in heavy losses for Australians, New Zealanders, and the Māori. Since 1916, ANZAC Day has been observed on this date. The Irish folk band The Pogues commemorates the tragic fate of a soldier from that time in their song And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

ANZAC biscuits have long been associated with this corps. It is believed that they were baked by wives and women’s groups and sent to soldiers overseas. Thanks to their long-lasting ingredients, the biscuits survived the lengthy sea transport unscathed.

After visiting Australia in 2010, I received a recipe from a young New Zealander—her family’s traditional recipe.

The recipe yields 43 biscuits, each weighing 85 g. My recommendation: reduce the weight per biscuit to 42 g and double the batch. Instead of shaping round biscuits by hand, the dough can also be formed into bars, making storage easier.

The preparation is remarkably simple and especially fun when done with a partner. So why buy expensive energy bars at the supermarket when you can make these power biscuits yourself using healthy ingredients? A true power food—not just for soldiers, but also for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.

Ingredients

• 400 g coarse oats

• 280 g shredded coconut

• 680 g flour

• 2 ½ tsp baking soda (bi-carbonated soda), about 12.5 g

• 500 g raw sugar (or regular white sugar)

• 100 g ground almonds

• 150 g sunflower seeds

• 500 g dried apricots

• 600 g butter

• 400 g Golden Syrup from Lyle’s*

Preparation

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Finely chop the apricots and mix them in.

3. Melt the golden syrup and butter in a separate saucepan.

4. Add baking soda and stir with a whisk.

5. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

7. Shape the dough into balls, flatten them with a fork, and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

8. Bake for 20–23 minutes at 180°C, until the biscuits turn golden brown.

Variations

• Omit the coconut.

• Use pineapple, cranberries, wild berries, or other dried fruits instead of apricots.

• Substitute pear syrup (Birnel) or beet sugar syrup for Lyle’s Golden Syrup.