Battle-of-the-bickies: Were the original Anzacs soft?

Mr Cranky says:

07:04am | 25/04/12

ANZAC biscuits are perfect either way. Soft or Crunchy, I have no preference.

Shep says:

07:32am | 25/04/12

Crunchy .... Absolutely MUST be crunchy.  Though I would never knock back an offered chewy one, now that’s the Anzac spirit.  Thinking of all our lost boys today especially our most recent losses and their families.

In memory of Sapper Jacob Moerland - Afghanistan.

Cat says:

08:41am | 25/04/12

It does not matter - soldiers come in all shapes and sizes.

CBR says:

08:52am | 25/04/12

Chewy and thick. You can take your thin and crunchy ones.

Bev says:

08:56am | 25/04/12

“The biscuits had to be hard and crunchy to survive the long sea voyage, so it is true that – traditionally – Anzacs were hard and crunchy.”

If we look back to an age without preservatives well none except salt which doesn’t sort of go with biscuits they were dry and hard.  Why because without water mold and bacteria cannot survive.  They would have had their origins in the British Navy Hard Tack.  These were made then baked to the point where no moisture remained.  In use they were generally ground up to make gruel, other dishes or used as thickener as they really would break your teeth if you tried to eat them.  In the end does it really matter?  The point of Anzac biscuits is a way of remembering while eating something you enjoy so any debate is akin to middle age clergy arguing over the number of angels that could dance on a pinhead.

Susan says:

09:15am | 25/04/12

Nice little history when they were originally called “soldier’s biscuits” - http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww1/anecdotes/bikkies.html  I suspect when they arrived during WW1 they were soft despite the intention to send crispy ones in tins. I love them crunchy but any way an Anzac biscuit comes, is ok by me. The term “gunfire breakfast” is interesting. Glad I’ve not had one of those.

michael says:

09:35am | 25/04/12

Anzac bikkies are yummy either way. In rat packs, they are dryish & crumbly - note army rat packs are made in NZ. BTW, NZ can have Russell Crowe back. ‘He joined us, we didn’t join him’

Robert S McCormick says:

09:44am | 25/04/12

We use a recipe which my Australian Grandmother, who luckily for her, got caught in Australia whilst on a viisit here in 1914 until about 1919, brought back to Ireland with her. They do come out soft. The interesting thing is that her recipe has no cocnut in it as do modern recipes. I am not sure but I think the reason for there being no cocnut was that, at least at that time, we did not grow them & probably due to austerity measures it was not imported.
I don’t care if cocnut is in them or not. I don’t care if they are soft or hard for as brody Swan says it doesn’t matter so long as they get made!

True ANZAC Biscuit Eater says:

09:50am | 25/04/12

Chewy. Definitely!

The ANZAC biscuit originated because the biscuits originally issued as part of the rations were so hard as to be inedible, many of these biscuits were leftovers from the Boer war. The ration biscuits could only be eaten if soaked in water and water on Gallipoli was in short supply, plus the teeth of many Diggers were not in very good condition.

The Diggers looked for an alternative biscuit and found that the only items not is short supply were oats and golden syrup. They wrote home for recipes using only these items with the stipulation the end product had to be soft and chewy - no more hard biscuits.

Dave Spencer says:

11:24am | 25/04/12

I was always told by grandmothers that ANZAC biscuits were made by the soldiers from what was available to them in their ration packs and nothing else. The recipe has probably evolved once cooking took place outside a war zone and more ingredients were available.

Proud Memories says:

12:55pm | 25/04/12

My most favourite biscuit, I enjoy any style, chewey or crunchy.
My wife is an ex pat Greek Cypriot but very proud Australian and she has mastered her very own version of The Anzac Biscuit from the pages of studiously researched CWA cooking books.
I remember in 2000 the better half was careing for her seriously ill and dying Father back in Cyprus with our 3 pre teen Children in tow, the kids were schooling through Distance Education and were reminded by their teacher that ANZAC Day was approaching, the kids asked their Mum if she could make some of her Prized ANZAC biscuits, but to her dismay could not source the two most vital ingredients, rolled oats and golden syrup, aghast and desperate she rang and placed an order with me with 3 weeks to deliver,,, !!, normal mail was not an sure option, being resourceful I enlisted the help of a local community group who put the plea for help to anyone travelling to deliver my parcel to Larnaca Cyprus before ANZAC day.
Mercifuly through the Greek Orthodox Church Womens Auxiluary, a very kind lady volunteered her help and with 4 days to spare delivered the 2 x 1 kg.tins of golden syrup and 5 kgs. of rolled oats along with 2 large jars of Vegemite and a large Australian flag along with recordings of The last Post and Amazing Grace to the door at my Wifes’ invitation, to show how to make the Prized ANZAC Biscuit,  there was one condition / requirement set down by myself to our Children however,  that was to explain to the local kids what would be happening at the dawn of 25th. , the local kids had no idea that Australia and Cyprus shared a common foe in different eras, (both sensless wars) to wich no less than 30 local kids with some parents responded arriving at the house pre dawn to the raising of the flag and the precious minutes’ silence, after the playing of Amazing Grace and The last Post along with rememberance speech there wasn’t a single dry eye.
Of course coffee, tea and other refreshments were later offered along with the entire batch of Prized Anzac biscuits wich were an instant hit and vanished long before the mornings Comemrorations were over.
My Wife rang me the following day crowing about the kids pride and organisational skills and the locals educational experience and new found respect for Australians and the fallen.
Another order was placed during our telephone conversation for more oats and golden syrup, to wich I explained I’d sent a parcel via air post containing the same on the day my Dearest had first called,,,,she received it 4 days later.
The Cypriot locals still talk about that morning in 2000. and “the Lovely Australian biscuits of the ANZACS”

Esther says:

05:02pm | 25/04/12

While full of warm and fuzzy national pride, this article is weak in the area of actual research.  For example, the original ‘Anzac Biscuits’ recipes didn’t have either oats or coconut, but were instead flavoured with cinnamon.  As a matter of fact, the now-classic combination of rolled oats and coconut didn’t become a standard recipe for Anzac biscuits until the early 1930s.  For a very readable introduction to the relationship between Anzac Biscuits and national memory, I recommend Sian Supski’s article, which is available online here:http://research.humanities.curtin.edu.au/groups/awp/pdf/ANZAC_BISCUITS_G2015.pdf

cybacaT says:

05:39pm | 25/04/12

2 sides to my family - one side makes them thin and crispy - the other makes them thick and soft.  So long as they keep making them, I’m happy - because both varieties are delicious when made well.

Jacqui says:

05:50pm | 25/04/12

Great article - thanks Julie. I like em
soft and chewy. Wish I ate some today…might have to whip up a batch this weekend.

Tator says:

08:17pm | 25/04/12

MMMMMMMMMMMM Anzac Biscuits, the wife has just made a bunch for the boychilds school class and the smell is driving me insane as I have already had my share, bugga, bugga bugga.  Who cares if they are crunchy or chewy, they still taste the same once chewed up.

Gomez12 says:

01:25pm | 26/04/12

Crunchy according to my local branch of the CWA.

I prefer them chewy myself, but haven’t been game to argue with those lovely ladies. If you think you’re up to the task, go for it. (Please note there are no known instances of any non-member challenging the CWA on baking and surviving - you have been warned)