Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Biscuits

I made a batch of Anzac biscuits a few days ago, the children had been off school and I was thinking of creative ways to keep them entertained, so we often bake together. These ones I made on my own as the children had friends round to "hang out" with (My 10 yr old son said to me categorically that friends at his age don't come to play!) So the boys "hung out"  while I made a batch of biscuits that very nearly didn't make the tin!

I love the sweet, crunchy, oaty texture of these biscuits, they date back to the first world war, when mothers made them for their sons heading off to the front line. They used to be called Soldiers Biscuits but after the Gallipoli Landings they called them Anzac Biscuits.

I have tried a few recipes but like this one the best.

100g Plain Flour
100g Soft Brown Sugar
100g Desiccated Coconut
150g Rolled Oats
100g Butter
2 Tablespoons Golden Syrup
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Tablespoons Boiling Water

1. Preheat the oven to 180 c/ 350 F and grease a large baking tray.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, sugar, flour, coconut and oats.

3. Melt together the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat.

4. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water and add to the syrup mixture, taking it off the heat.

5. Stir the liquid into the flour mix, making sure that it combines well.

6. Place teaspoon sized mounds of the mixture onto the greased baking tray making sure they are well spaced, as they will expand.  I gently roll them and flatten them to give a round finish, you can dollop them on if you like for a more rustic biscuit!

7. Bake to 12-15 min or until golden, transfer to a cooling rack as soon as they are cooked so as to prevent them overcooking.  Store in an airtight container (unless they get devoured before making the tin!).

Makes approx 20 (depending on the size)
Prep time 15 min
Cooking time 15-20 min.

"Lest We Forget"

Till next time

                            Ashia

The Perfect Rice

We had friends over for dinner tonight and we got around to talking about how to cook rice.  My friend Judy had heard that a rice cooker is a kitchen must-have, but I think the recipe below is an absolute winner, with no need for a rice cooker.  It's one that my dad has always used and makes ordinary boiled rice taste amazing.  Try it and see!

Dad's Basmati Rice (feeds 4-6)
1 onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2.5 cups Basmati rice
5 cups boiling water
2 tsp salt

1. Wash the rice in a bowl 2-3 times, draining all the water away.

2. Heat the oil and the butter in a heavy-based saucepan with a lid.

3. Add the onions and cook until pale golden in colour.

4. Add the (uncooked) rice to the onions, stirring with a wooden spoon until it starts to look translucent and sticks to the pan (3-4 minutes).

5. Add boiling water, and then the salt.

6. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat completely to the lowest setting and cover.

7. Cook for approx 15-20 mins or until all the water has evaporated.  Make sure that the heat is really low or it will stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

8. The rice should be fluffy and grains should be separate, not sticking together.

Serve with  with any meat dish.

Enjoy

Till next Time

Ashia