Thursday 26 January 2012

Anzac Day Bake: Anzac Biscuits

Back in 2008 I collected a few family favourite cake and biscuit recipes from my mum's recipe book to give to the 'next generation' at Christmas. I still have a very battered copy of the first version which I kept for myself.


The recipes are nothing out of the ordinary; in fact in many ways that is their charm. They are each named after the person who baked them for the family and that makes them special.


Looking through the list of unwitting 'contributors', including my sister and auntie shown above, not one of them is still living, but they have left behind something we can enjoy.

Today being Anzac day I decided to bake Anzac biscuits following my mum's recipe:


As usual, I had to substitute gluten free flour and used a combination of Doves Farm Self Raising and Rice Flour..


Unfortunately the result was a little disappointing. I added more liquid and syrup to counteract the properties of gluten free flour, but nevertheless they are drier than I would like and not the lovely moist offerings mum used to bake.


However, the taste isn't bad. So thank you mum!

And you see, Gaynor, you're not the only one with baking nightmares!!

7 comments:

GaynorB said...

I feel so much better now ...;o)

WV - gonisard

Susan said...

You're a bit early with the Anzac Day baking :-) Today is Australia Day, Anzac Day is 25 April. If you are really keen to make Anzac biscuits I will ask my sister for a coeliac friendly recipe.

Colin and Elizabeth said...

Then I must apologise to all Australians out there... but I don't need an excuse to make anything when the mood takes me!

Anonymous said...

Longing to have a go...how big is the cup? Is it possible to have it on ounces?

SP

Jean said...

How lovely to have a recipe collection like that. It hardly matters what they taste like if they bring back fond memories and I'm sure they were lovely.

I think we all expect too much of ourselves with our home baking. We can't all be experts - my mum certainly wasn't but I would eat anything she made over shop-bought any time, so your biscuits look lovely to me. My dad reckons he can't enjoy a mince pie unless it has burnt brown rings round it where the mincemeat has boiled over !!

Speaking of which, like my mum I would make anything I like any time of year - why reserve mince pies just for Christmas - she made them all year round because we all liked them. I shall be making another Christmas cake soon - I got another of those Mary Berry kits when they were reduced in Tesco and it needs using up....but I might decorate it with plastic snowdrops instead of a snowman !!

Colin and Elizabeth said...

I love the idea of a plastic snowdrop decorated cake! I'm sure it would be a winner!

And yes, why not have the things you enjoy all year round if you wish? I've always thought it a little perverse to wait for the one time in the year when we're stuffed to bursting point to bring out the mince pies and Christmas cake.

I'll be suggesting treacle toffee in August next!

Colin and Elizabeth said...

I've weighed the cup I used and it works out at roughly 4oz. I hope that helps!