ANZAC Biscuits

1 cup rolled oats (also known as flaked oats)
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon Golden Syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Melt butter and syrup in a saucepan, add soda and water, pour over dry ingredients. Mix well.

Drop pieces the size of walnuts onto greased trays, leaving room for them to spread to about 2 1/2 inches.

Cook about 15 minutes in a slow oven, until a golden brown.

When taken from the oven biscuits are very soft, so leave on the tray for one minute, then cool on a wire rack till crisp.

I had it in mind to post this recipe just before Anzac Day (25 April). To the best of my knowledge, these biscuits earned their name because they were a favored item in food parcels sent by families to Australian troops serving overseas in WW2. The biscuit is nourishing, keeps well, isn't reduced to crumbs through rough handling, and can be softened by a dunking in hot tea. (Though personally I prefer ice-cold creamy milk.)