Anzac Biscuits – spelt flour

Anzac biscuits are a sweet biscuit, popular in Australia and New Zealand made using simple ingredients – rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter (or margarine), golden syrup, baking soda, boiling water (originally) then coconut was added later on. I have tweaked the recipe and made it with spelt flour. I like to bake my biscuits so they are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle after only 10 minutes. If you prefer a crunchy biscuit cook for another 5 minutes.

Spelt flour is a good source of fibre. The texture is light and airy like wheat flour and can be substituted in baking cakes, cookies, pancakes and bread for a healthier alternative to wheat flour.

Ingredients

• Rolled Oats – 100g (about 1 cup)
• Desiccated coconut – 50g (about 1/2 cup)
• Spelt flour (or your choice)  – 200g (about 1 + 1/3 cups)
• Brown sugar, light or dark – 120g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1tsp)
• Unsalted butter, melted – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
• Boiling water – 3 tablespoons
• Golden syrup – 2 tablespoons
• Bicarbonate of soda – 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150˚C fan-forced and line two baking trays.
2. Mix oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. (or 3 x 1 minute short bursts in the microwave)
4. Remove from the heat, add the boiling water and golden syrup and then quickly stir in the bicarbonate of soda until light and frothy.
5. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing quickly and thoroughly.
6. Roll mixture into balls the size of walnuts (or larger, if you like) and on trays, allowing room for spreading.
7. Press with your hand slightly to make it flat, and bake for 10-15 minutes fan-forced until lightly golden and still slightly soft.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool on the trays for 10 minutes.
9. They will kept for about 2 weeks in an airtight container - but I doubt they will last that long.