Anzac biscuit

Last updated

ANZAC biscuit
ANZAC biscuits.JPG
Alternative namesANZAC bikkies, Anzac slice [1]
Type Biscuit
Associated cuisine Australia, New Zealand
Main ingredients Rolled oats, flour, desiccated coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup

The Anzac biscuit is a sweet biscuit, popular in Australia and New Zealand, made using rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter (or margarine), golden syrup, baking soda, boiling water, and (optionally) desiccated coconut. [2] [3] Anzac biscuits have long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) established in World War I. [4]

Contents

It is thought that these biscuits were sent by wives and women's groups to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation. [5] [6]

Anzac biscuits should not be confused with hardtack, which was nicknamed "ANZAC wafers" in Australia and New Zealand. [7]

Anzac biscuits are an explicit exemption to an Australian ban on commercial goods that use the term "Anzac", so long as they are sold as "biscuits" and not "cookies".

Origins

The origin of Anzac biscuits is contested between Australia and New Zealand, similar to the dispute over pavlova. The actual recipe for the biscuit has been found long before the formation of the ANZAC Corps, and many of the first recipes for Anzac biscuits differ from the modern version. [8] [9]

The earliest known recipe combining the words 'anzac' and 'biscuit' is a recipe from 1916 for "ANZAC GINGER BISCUITS" which was published on 4 June 1916 in the Perth edition of The Sunday Times . [10] [11] However, this recipe contains no mention of oats present in modern anzac biscuits. The first recipe for something called "Anzac Biscuits" appears in an Australian publication, the War Chest Cookery Book (Sydney, 1917), but this recipe was also for a different biscuit from what we know as the modern Anzac biscuit. [12] [13] The same publication, the War Chest Cookery Book (Sydney, 1917), also included the first two recipes for biscuits resembling modern Anzac biscuits, under the names of "Rolled Oats Biscuits" and just "Biscuits". [13] The first recorded instance of the combination of the name 'Anzac biscuit' and the recipe now associated with it was found in Adelaide dating to "either late 1919 or early 1920". [5] [14] Another early recipe for the Anzac biscuit dates back to 1921 in an Australian newspaper called The Argus . [15] These early recipes did not contain desiccated coconut which is present in many modern Anzac biscuits. [15] [13] [16] The first recipe for an Anzac biscuit containing the desiccated coconut is recorded to be from the city of Adelaide in 1924. [17] [18]

In 1919 in New Zealand a recipe for Anzac Crispies in the eighth edition of the St Andrew's Cookery Book had similar ingredients to modern Anzac biscuits. [19]

Current popularity

Today, Anzac biscuits are manufactured commercially for retail sale. Because of their historical military connection with the ANZACs and Anzac Day, [20] these biscuits are still used as a fundraising item for the Royal New Zealand Returned Services' Association (RSA) and the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL). Special collectors old-style biscuit tins with World War military artwork are usually produced in the lead up to Anzac Day and sold in supermarkets, in addition to the standard plastic packets available all year. The official RSL biscuit is produced by Unibic under licence.

A British (though still Australian-produced) version of the Anzac biscuit, supporting the Royal British Legion, is available in several major supermarket chains in the UK. [21]

The term Anzac is protected under Australian law and cannot be used in Australia without permission from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs; [22] misuse can be legally enforced particularly for commercial purposes. Likewise similar restrictions on naming exist in New Zealand law. [23] [24] There is a general exemption granted for Anzac biscuits, as long as these biscuits remain close to the traditional recipe and are both referred to and sold as Anzac biscuits and never as cookies. [22] This traditional recipe dates back to the 1920s, however there was much variation with recipes, with some including ingredients no longer considered traditional, such as eggs, fruit or jam. [1]

Similarly to the use of the term Anzac, the Anzac biscuit is protected by regulations, regulating any commercial usage of this product so that it remains true to its traditional values. [22] Primarily, such regulations pertain to the recipe, [25] in which its commemorative value stems from its recipes in history, [1] as well as the name of the product. [25] While it is legally acceptable to substitute ingredients in a recipe to cater to dietary requirements, there is a commercial disallowance for any substantial modification of the recipe such that they deviate too far from traditional Anzac biscuit recipes. [25] Variations of recipes posted on social media or written in cookbooks that merely include Anzac biscuits are excluded from regulations. [25]

As a result of the aforementioned restrictions to the Anzac biscuit recipe, the Subway chain of restaurants dropped the biscuit from their menu in September 2008. After being ordered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs to bake the biscuits according to the original recipe, Subway decided not to continue to offer the biscuit, as they found that their supplier was unable to develop a cost-effective means of duplicating the recipe. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anzac Day</span> National day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand on 25 April

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Australia

Australian cuisine is the food and cooking practices of Australia and its inhabitants. Australia has absorbed culinary contributions and adaptations from various cultures around the world, including British, European, Asian and Middle Eastern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamington</span> Australian cake

A lamington is an Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. The thin mixture is absorbed into the outside of the sponge cake and left to set, giving the cake a distinctive texture. A common variation has a layer of cream or strawberry jam between two lamington halves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaroon</span> Type of cookie

Macaroons are small cakes or cookies, originally made from ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar, but now often with coconut or other nuts. They may also include jam, chocolate, or other flavorings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiwiana</span> Certain items and icons from New Zealands heritage

Kiwiana are certain items and icons from New Zealand's heritage, especially from around the middle of the 20th century, that are seen as representing iconic New Zealand elements. These "quirky things that contribute to a sense of nationhood" include both genuine cultural icons and kitsch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honeycomb toffee</span> Type of sweet candy

Honeycomb toffee, honeycomb candy, sponge toffee, cinder toffee, seafoam, or hokey pokey is a sugary toffee with a light, rigid, sponge-like texture. Its main ingredients are typically brown sugar and baking soda, sometimes with an acid such as vinegar. The baking soda and acid react to form carbon dioxide which is trapped in the highly viscous mixture. When acid is not used, thermal decomposition of the baking soda releases carbon dioxide. The sponge-like structure is formed while the sugar is liquid, then the toffee sets hard. The candy goes by a variety of names and regional variants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple crisp</span> Apple-based dessert with streusel topping

Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. In the US, it is also called apple crumble, a word which refers to a different dessert in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolate crackles</span> Confection in Australia and New Zealand made of puffed rice

Chocolate crackles are a popular children's confection in Australia and New Zealand, especially for birthday parties and at school fêtes. The earliest recipe found so far is from The Australian Women's Weekly in December 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lolly cake</span> New Zealand cake

A lolly cake or lolly log is an unbaked New Zealand sweet dish that features lollies (candy) as a key ingredient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky road (dessert)</span> Biscuit made up of milk chocolate and marshmallow

Rocky road is a type of no-bake slice made up of milk chocolate and marshmallows along with other ingredients, which tend to vary by country. In British influenced areas, Rocky Road is a type of tiffin or traybake but the Australian/American name is becoming more common. It is usually served in individual portions such as a brownie, or in American cuisine, as an ice cream flavor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Scotland

Scottish cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with Scotland. It has distinctive attributes and recipes of its own, but also shares much with other British and wider European cuisine as a result of local, regional, and continental influences—both ancient and modern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caramel shortbread</span> Biscuit confectionery

Caramel shortbread, also known as caramel squares, caramel slice, millionaire's shortbread, millionaire's slice, chocolate caramel shortbread, or Wellington squares is a biscuit confectionery composed of a shortbread biscuit base topped with caramel and milk chocolate. Variations exist which substitute or add ingredients to cater to different tastes, dietary requirements or ingredient availability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghan (biscuit)</span> Traditional biscuit in New Zealand

An Afghan is a traditional New Zealand biscuit made from flour, butter, cornflakes, sugar and cocoa powder, topped with chocolate icing and a half walnut. The recipe has a high proportion of butter, and relatively low sugar, and no leavening, giving it a soft, dense and rich texture, with crunchiness from the cornflakes, rather than from a high sugar content. The high butter content gives a soft melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the sweetness of the icing offsets the low sugar and the cocoa bitterness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biscuit (bread)</span> Type of bread

In the United States and Canada, a biscuit is a variety of baked bread with a firm, dry exterior and a soft, crumbly interior. It is made with baking powder as a leavening agent rather than yeast, and at times is called a baking powder biscuit to differentiate it from other types. Like other forms of bread, a biscuit is often served with butter or other condiments, flavored with other ingredients, or combined with other types of food to make sandwiches or other dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kue putu</span> Indonesian traditional cake

Kue putu or putu bambu is an Indonesian kue. It is made of rice flour called suji and coloured green with pandan leaves, filled with palm sugar, steamed in bamboo tubes, and served with desiccated coconut. This traditional bite-sized snack is commonly found in maritime Southeast Asia, particularly in Java, Indonesia, where it is called putu bumbung. Kue putu is usually sold by street vendors and can be found in traditional markets, along with other kues. Kue putu can also be found in the Netherlands due to its colonial ties with Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coconut ice</span> Dessert

Coconut ice is a British confectionery prepared using grated desiccated coconut or just grated coconut, condensed milk and sugar, which is formed to create a solid, soft candy. It typically has a chewy, soft and mildly grainy texture; some versions are semi-hard. Coconut ice is also available in South Africa, some areas of Australia, and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifteens</span> Northern Irish unbaked sweet

Fifteens are a type of tray bake from Ulster. The recipe's name derives from the fact that a set of fifteen buns is typically made with 15 digestive biscuits, 15 marshmallows and 15 glacé cherries, which are combined with condensed milk and desiccated coconut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oatmeal raisin cookie</span> Drop cookie with oatmeal and raisins mixed into the dough

An oatmeal raisin cookie is a type of drop cookie made from an oatmeal-based dough with raisins. Its ingredients also typically include flour, sugar, eggs, salt, and spices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginataang kalabasa</span> Filipino vegetable stew

Ginataang kalabasa, also known as kalabasa sa gata, is a Filipino vegetable stew made from calabaza in coconut milk and spices. It commonly includes shrimp and yardlong beans and either bagoong or patis. It can also be cooked with fish, crab, or meat and a variety of other ingredients. It is a creamy umami-laden dish that is naturally slightly sweet due to the calabaza. It is a type of ginataan.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Anzac biscuits to make for Anzac Day or a commemorative event". Australian Government, Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "ANZAC biscuit recipes". Australian War Memorial website. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  3. ↑ nicola (12 April 2011). "Origins Of The ANZAC Biscuit". National Army Museum. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Blundells Bikkies". National Capital Authority. Australian Government . Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 ANZAC Biscuits, archived from the original on 6 February 2005, retrieved 26 July 2017
  6. ↑ "ANZAC Biscuits The history & recipe". Digger History website. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "ANZAC biscuit recipes". Australian War Memorial website. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Fuss, Eloise (23 April 2018). "Who made the first Anzac biscuit?". ABC News. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Huckstep, Anthony (21 April 2020). "Historic biscuits: 'Where the pavlova divides us, the Anzac unites us'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Sunday Times, Perth, Western Australia, June 4, 1916". Sunday Times. 4 June 1916. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "ANZAC Biscuits but not as you know them… | Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  12. ↑ Fuss, Eloise. "First printed recipe for Anzac biscuits very different to modern recipe". The New Daily. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 Reynolds, Allison. "The real origins of the Anzac biscuit revealed". The Advertiser. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  14. ↑ Fuss, Eloise (23 April 2018). "Anzac Day 2018: Who made the first Anzac biscuit?". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  15. 1 2 "Australia strikes a blow in the battle for the Anzac Biscuit". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "ANZAC Biscuits". www.weber.com. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Anzac Day 2018: Who made the first Anzac biscuit?". ABC News. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  18. ↑ Fuss, Eloise. "Who made the first Anzac biscuit?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  19. ↑ Jenny Tabakoff (2014). "Battle of the Anzac biscuit". stuff. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  20. ↑ "Find out about Anzac Day – and how to make Anzac biscuits". Metro. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  21. ↑ "Anzac Tea Dance to raise funds for The Royal British Legion". British Legion website. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  22. 1 2 3 "Protecting the word Anzac". Australian Government – Department of Veteran Affairs. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  23. ↑ "Anzac Traditions and Rituals". New Zealand Government: Ministry for Culture and Heritage mini-site. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 No 47, section 17". New Zealand Government: Parliamentary Council Office Legislation website. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Use of the word 'Anzac' Guidelines" (PDF). Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs. October 2020.
  26. ↑ Fewster, Sean (22 September 2008). "Subway dumps Anzac biscuit from the menu". The Advertiser . Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.