Chocolate ANZAC Biscuits

I love to make ANZAC biscuits any old time of the year but of course it is coming up to ANZAC Day, 25th April, and it is particularly nice to have them for friends and family on that special day.🌺

The National Army Museum Te Mata Toa describes the basic ingredients for this rolled oat biscuit which were rolled oats, sugar, flour, butter with golden syrup (not eggs) used as a binding agent. This made them not only nutritious and full of energy but also long lasting.

It is thought that some biscuits were sent to the troops to be eaten at Gallipoli.

“There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this county of ours”
^{-Part of the inscription to the ‘heroes who lost their lives’ on the memorial erected by Atatürk at Anzac Cove}

But the majority of rolled oats biscuits were sold and consumed at fetes, galas, parades and other public events at home, to raise funds for the war effort. This connection to the troops serving overseas led to them being referred to as “soldier’s biscuits”. Fundraising was coordinated by local Patriotic Funds, raising 6.5 million pounds for the New Zealand war effort.

“Biscuits! Army Biscuits! Consider the hardness of them. Remember the cracking of your dental plate, the breaking of this tooth, the splintering of that.”
(From “Army biscuits” by Ormond Burton in “The ANZAC book”)

It is widely believed that ANZAC biscuits were made with long lasting ingredients to ensure they remained crisp during transportation to the troops. So, the traditional method produces a crisp, snap type of biscuit.

My ANZAC biscuits are a slightly different variety, one that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. With the added flavor of chocolate and apricots these biscuits have a modern twist.

This is such a popular sweet biscuit because it uses store cupboard ingredients, it is quick and easy to cook up a batch and is very inexpensive.

Another reason for this biscuit’s popularity…. everyone loves them.

Now, of course, they invoke the taste of home and our remembrance on ANZAC Day would not be the same without them 💕

Watch My Video Here

Recipe

🍪Ingredients

1 cup flour
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup chocolate bits
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
3 Tbsp golden syrup
120g melted butter
1 tsp baking soda

🍪Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C on fan bake

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl

Mix until well combined

Roll large tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on a lined or greased baking sheet

Press down with a fork

Bake for 12 mins

Allow to cool on the tray before placing the biscuits into a storage container.

🍪Tips

Check for hot spots in your oven and turn half way if needed.

Ensure the melted butter is not hot when you add to the dry ingredients… we don’t want to melt the chocolate bits.

I used milk chocolate bits but you could try dark chocolate bits or white chocolate. For a more luxurious chocolate hit try roughly chopping a 100g block of chocolate into large chunks and adding to the mixture as an option.

Allow to completely cool on the hot baking sheet after removing from the oven, this will ensure a crisp exterior.

Leave plenty of room on the baking sheet to allow for the biscuits to expand.

Experiment with different sizes- I like big and chunky and this recipe will make 16-17 of that size but you might like smaller and have more quantity.

For a more crunchy biscuit reduce the temperature to 150°C and increase the baking time to 20 minutes.

I have made this recipe omitting the apricots and it works well. Or you could try chopped dates?

I love seeing your creations, so if you bake this please tag @life.with.janet on Instagram so I am notified 💕

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them