Anzac Cookies: An Antipodean 'Cracker' Just Awaiting Your Verdict.

This fantastic cookie was made by the wives/mothers of soldiers from Australia and New Zealand, who went to fight in Europe during the Second World War. It was designed to travel and stay edible for several weeks; so there are no dairy products in this wonderful biscuit (cookie). I of course, have to 'tweek' it a little to make it my own; traditionalists would have a fit! My version has grated orange zest in which just 'sings', lovely, lovely, lovely.

This is another very simple recipe, just melt and stir, portion and bake....simple. First though, turn your oven on medium/hot 375F (190C/Gas Mark 5)

Ingredients required:

125g (1/2cup + 1 tblsp/5ozs) butter

250g (1cup + 1 tblsp/8 3/4ozs) soft light brown sugar

1 tblsp golden syrup (light corn syrup)

zest of one orange (just grate the orange part of the skin using the fine cutters on a hand held grater. Do not take any of the white skin or it will be bitter.

2 tblsp orange juice (squeezed from the zested orange

250g (3 cups/9ozs) porridge oats (not the instant variety, the flattened and dried whole oat)

250g (2 cups/9ozs) plain (general purpose) flour

250g (3 1/4 cups/10ozs) desiccated coconut

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl sieve the flour with the baking soda and salt.

2. To this, add the oats, coconut and orange zest. Mix well and set aside for the moment.

3. In a second medium sized plastic bowl, put the butter, sugar and syrup. Place into the microwave and blitz for 1 - 2 minutes until the butter has melted. Stir very well until the sugar also begins to melt.

4. Add the orange juice and stir well.

5. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients making sure you scrape out all of the buttery goodness from the bowl.

6. Stir until it is all thoroughly mixed. Do not be surprised if it looks a little on the wet side. If you let the bowl stand for 5 minutes, the dry ingredients will take up any excess liquid and it will firm up before your very eyes.

7. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut. If the mixture sticks a little to your hands when rolling just moisten them with a little water. I keep a small kitchen sponge just for this purpose, moistened, and just wipe over my palms when needed (washed thoroughly between use)!

8. Place on baking trays which have been lined with parchment (baking paper). Leave a reasonable distance between each ball as they will spread - about an inch (2.5cm) all around.

9. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the edges begin to colour, or, coloured over fully if you want them to be crispy. These cookies are meant to have a little 'chew' to them.

10. When baked, leave on the baking tray to set up before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store in a tin and they should keep fresh for several weeks (not likely).

Is this recipe not simple?

I have a trick with all cookie recipes - I take the recipe to the ball stage. Then I place the spare 'balls' of dough onto a baking sheet and freeze them. When they are frozen, I bag them up, label them, and put the bag back in the freezer. When I want some more cookies I just take a few of the different varieties I have frozen. Place them on a baking sheet. When they have thawed (only takes a few minutes), I bake them Freshly baked cookies to order with very little effort.

Until the next time, adios Amigos

From sunny Almeria Province, Spain (33C today so much more bearable).