ANZAC Bikkies!!!!!

[fenchurch]

Numfar! Do the Dance of Australian Biscuit Joy!!!

Though, of course, the packaging actually says "ANZAC Cookies" -- I don't care, because they taste exactly the same.

About two years ago, I wrote to UniBic asking if they knew of anyone marketing their ANZAC biscuits in the US... I got a fairly quick reply telling me they were in negotations and I should look for them to be on American grocery store shelves sometime the next year. Well, that year came and went and I pretty much gave up on finding them there (I'd also found several mail order sources for the biscuits in the meantime).

Well, last Sunday, Parade Magazine (you know, the thing that comes tucked into quite a few Sunday newspapers) had a small article about how this Australian cookie company was going to be marketing their wares in the US in conjuction with the VFW... and, you guessed it, it's UniBic! My in-laws were looking a bit askance at me when I got so excited over a small article in Parade, let me tell you.

Even better... earlier today I found them in a display at the Albertson's just down the street from my grandmother's house in Idaho Falls!!! And yes, there may have been an exclamation of delight followed by the happy dance (which really should never be done in public without friends to join in).

So, if you get a chance, take a look around for them the next time you hit the grocery store. The best I can come up with to describe them is that they're like a crispy, crunchy oatmeal cookie with coconut.

(Written at the Flying J truck stop in Caldwell, ID)

Comments

[nmissi.livejournal.com]

Yay! For biscuit-y goodness! I'll start watching my grocery shelves.

[downunderdeb.livejournal.com]

Happy to part with my handed down family recipe for Anzac bickies - not sure how they stand up to manufactured ones though, the recipe does have coconut and rolled oats, as well as golden syrup, bicarb soda, butter, flour and sugar.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

Oh! That would be wonderful... I've been wanting to give them a try on my own -- I've found a few recipes here and there and I think there's one in one of the Women's Weekly cookbooks I picked up when we were in Melbourne, but I'd much rather have one from someone I know!

I've actually even got some golden syrup sitting in the cupboard at home -- I picked it up the last time I was down at Simply Australian (http://www.simplyaustralian.com) in Rainier, in hopes of finding a recipe I liked the looks of.

[downunderdeb.livejournal.com]

OK, here it is (although who knows what the HTML will do when I transfer it over from Word!). I'm pleased that 1) you have the syrup 2) that you know what it is - after I commented I wondered if there may be some strange language problems. ENJOY ...

ANZAC BISCUITS

1 cup (125g / 4oz) plain flour
²/₃ (two-thirds) cup (160g / 5½oz) sugar
1 cup (100g / 3½oz) rolled oats
1 cup (90g / 3oz) desiccated coconut
125g (4oz) butter
¼ cup (90g / 3oz) golden syrup
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180^oC (350^oF). Grease two baking trays with butter (or you could use baking paper). Sift the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the rolled oats and coconut and make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

2. Put the butter and syrup in a small pan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Dissolve the soda in 1 tablespoon boiling water, then add immediately to the butter mixture. It will foam up instantly. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

3. Drop level tablespoons of the mixture onto the tray. Flatten gently with your fingers, leaving room for spreading. Bake for 20 minutes, or until just browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

STORAGE: Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

VARIATION: Use treacle or honey instead of syrup.

HINT: Instant or 1-minute oats are quite suitable for this recipe.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

You mean America doesn't have golden syrup? I am shocked and aghast! How can you make flapjacks, fridge-cake, gingerbread....and for that matter what do you put on your porridge to go with the cream?

Wombat goes to lie down, shocked at the existence of half a continent without golden syrup!

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

(Sorry to take so long in replying, I kept forgetting to follow-up and then your reply sort of scrolled off my inbox screen! I hate it when I do that!)

Nope, no golden syrup... we use maple syrup on flapjacks and use molasses when making gingerbread. Not entirely sure what a fridge-cake is, though. The other thing we use in cooking is corn syrup, which also gets tossed into practically everything sold on our grocery store shelves (only a slight exaggeration). Unfortunately, I can't stand the taste of corn syrup... which is probably part of the reason I love Australian and British food so much. :-)

However, now I know that golden syrup gets used in British recipes too... so I can check out British Pantry to see if they have it in stock the next time I'm there buying chocolate essential grocery items.

Hmmm... wonder if it's on the shelves in Canada, too? Vancouver, BC is only a three hour drive away, and we head up there three to four times a year to go grocery shopping for specialty items (chocolate, soup, chicken crisps, various other canned and dried goods).

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

And here I was, frazzled, confused about a design review, and in lots of mental stress in general... and I hit the opening line of your entry.

It took quite a while to catch my breath from the explosive laughter that followed. Thank you. May the forces of fate repay you with similar laughter today.