ANZAC BISCUITS

Last week Charlotte was a camp counselor at a great place in town.

In this camp, the two teachers, Deena and Joanna (of Camp Colorwheel and Turnip the Heat, respectively) combine art lessons with hands-on cooking classes. Charlotte had taken this camp each summer for a couple years and this year she was tickled that she was asked to come back as a helper.

(Here is a link to the cooking classes offered. And another to the art classes).

Each day this summer camp tackles a different country; they then do a DIY craft inspired by that country and then make indigenous foods.

This means all last week she came home chatting about different foods, one day about tres leches and pico de gallo , the next about paratha and mango lassi. And baklava and gougeres and Vegemite breadsticks.

Pretty fun, right?

One day I picked her up and the teacher offered me a cookie from that day’s sojourn in Australia — an Anzac biscuit.

You know those moments when you’re distracted and you eat something but it’s so good that it stops you in your tracks?

This was that kind cookie.

It’s deceptively simple; it’s just a simple oatmeal cookie with toasted coconut, but it’s buttery and crunchy and chewy and everything you’d want in a cookie (and I like to add chocolate chips sometimes for added richness)

Armed with the recipe, I went to work.

Always start with great ingredients.

I’d never tried this coconut before, but I loved it.

Joanna, the cooking instructor, recommended this too, so in that went, too.

It only takes a few minutes to pull together the dough

and then into the oven.

I’ve made the recipe twice since I got it.

Once I made it just as it was written

and then the next time with chocolate chips and chunks

I loved both versions.

Here’s some I made early this morning for a party I’m going to tonight.

Next time I think I’ll make them larger than these, and use them for a round of ice cream sandwiches (it has the perfect heft and chew).

They’d be amazing filled with say, peach, raspberry, or apricot ice cream (or caramel gelato).

So make a batch — or two.

Your family and friends will be ever so grateful.

ANZAC BISCUITS

 

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Because there are so few ingredients in this, be sure that the coconut and oatmeal are the best, freshest you can find -- and don't forget to salt the cookie atop.

Author: Turnip the Heat Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 C. quick cooking or steel cut oats
• ¾ C. flaked coconut (I used unsweetened, if using sweetened, decrease sugar in recipe)
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 C. sugar
• ½ C. butter
• 1 Tbs. golden syrup or honey
• 2 Tbs. boiling water
• 1 C. chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the syrup and butter together. Mix the soda and boiling water together and add to the butter and syrup.
4. Add butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet (or baking paper).
5. Bake about 15 minutes, or until crispy.

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