Secret Recipe for 'The Cally' Anzacs
I make a spiced syrup which is dead easy and good fun. The whole place smells divine when I make it. So start with Dark Sugar - I am going to use the quantities I make but you will probably have to divide by about 3 for domestic use (I make about 120 Anzacs a week) O K so 3kg of Dark Sugar. Whack it in a big pot and add about 5 or 6 litres of water. (note - I always use rain water in my cooking - I think I'm just old fashioned)
About 30 cinnamon quills - at last! A use for that mortar and pestle you got for a wedding present yonks ago!!!! Crush well and add to the pot.....a pause here to think about stuff I do generally without thinking! I add a bit of salt, about a desert spoon and I use Murray River Salt most of the time. See if you can get some it is subtle and works well. It makes perfect scrambled eggs - recipe later. 15 whole nutmeg - crush again - half a handful of whole cloves - crush again and-[ this is the interesting one and a spice I just love] - Star Anise.. about 15 and yes crush again. Now bring to the boil and enjoy the aroma for the rest of the day. Just let it simmer and reduce to a light syrup. You should end up with about three litres. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin. So that's the syrup I use as well as Golden Syrup.
Anzac Biscuits ....The traditional recipe straight from Barb's Mums' recipe book -
2 cups Rolled Oats (not quick oats) -
2 cups self raising flour -
2 cups sugar -
2 cups shredded coconut -
teaspoon of salt or maybe nearly 2 teaspoons -
2 heaped tablespoons butter -
6 tablespoons water (from the sky)
1 tablespoon golden syrup and that spiced syrup you made.
Carb-soda... about a teaspoon or nearly two.
O K so let's go with the method. In a small saucepan weigh 110 grams water - add 225grams butter - 1 tablespoon of golden syrup and a generous tablespoon of spiced syrup. bring to the boil over a low heat. Mix the dry ingredients and when the stuff in the saucepan comes to the boil add the carb-soda. Pour it into the dry ingredients while it is effervescing and mix well. Spoon out onto baking paper and bake in a moderate oven. I set mine at 200 deg but I think it is nearer to 160 degrees. You will just have to experiment.
Don't go and hang the washing out while you are baking Anzacs - you will burn them for sure!!! The timing is critical and you can determine how crisp the biscuits are by how long you leave them in the oven. I have to turn mine but it depends on the oven.
Oh yes I've just remembered something I almost forgot - Almond meal - I have been adding a cupful in the last 10 batches I've made - try it and see what you think. Let us know how you get on - cheers Hugh & Barb