Life

James Street South Cookery School: Anzac biscuits and shortbread

Anzac biscuits – so-called, apparently, because of their association with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac)
Anzac biscuits – so-called, apparently, because of their association with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) Anzac biscuits – so-called, apparently, because of their association with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac)

THIS week’s recipes are all about getting the kids back to school and are very timely, with September having a 'bread and baking' theme for the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink, and Bake Off back on the telly.

These biscuits are found in every good coffee shop and in terms of complexity, the recipes are child's play – in fact, when my own kids found out what I was making, they both had their aprons on and sleeves rolled up.

Once you have done these biscuits once, you'll think nothing of making them again and, even better, making them is a great way to entertain children for an hour or two, especially when they know they can eat the end result.

They keep really well in an airtight container so can be kept to hand as after-school snacks. And if you’re a Bake Off fan, don’t forget Paul Hollywood and many more top names in cooking will be in Belfast next month as part of the BBC Good Food Show at the Waterfront.

ANZAC BISCUITS

85g desiccated coconut

85g porridge oats

100g plain flour

100g caster sugar

100g butter

1tablesp golden syrup

1 teasp bicarbonate of soda

Greaseproof paper

1 block of cooking chocolate

Heat the oven to 180C. Place the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Melt the butter in a pot on a gentle heat until soft and add in the golden syrup until mixed thoroughly.

Add the bicarbonate of soda and two tablespoon of hot water and stir again. Remove the pot from the hob and make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients. Pour in all the butter mixture and, using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are wet and stuck together. (This is a great job for kids.)

Place the greaseproof paper on a baking tray and, using a dessert spoon, take off a piece of the mix and each time roll into a ball and place on to the baking tray. You need to space these out as they will spread. You can flatten the balls down with the back of your spoon. Place in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Once cooked, remove from baking tray and place on a wire cooling rack.

When the biscuits are cooled, place a pot of water on the hob until boiling and place a bowl on top. Break up the chocolate and add to the bowl. Let it melt. Once melted, drizzle on to the biscuits – or you can dip the biscuits into the chocolate – and leave to cool.

SHORTBREAD

250grams plain flour

175grams butter

75grams caster sugar

1/2 vanilla pod (scraped)

SIEVE the flour into a bowl and mix in the caster sugar. (I have a tendency to use Tate and Lyle as it gives a much better end result.) Using butter at room temperature, mix thoroughly until it forms a dough; place in between two pieces of greaseproof paper and roll out.

Place in fridge for one hour. Remove from fridge and cut out, I always like to use the classic round mould, place on baking sheet into preheated oven at 160C for 12-15 minutes. Leave to cool on wire rack before use. If you are making these at the same time as the Anzac biscuits you can dip into chocolate in the same way.