Charlotte Johns – Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association
Nicole Ryan – Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association
Anzac Day (25th April) is a day of national significance to remember and acknowledge all New Zealanders and Australians who served and continue to serve in the Defence Forces, especially those who gave their lives.
Our kindergartens and early learning centres support children’s learning about Anzac Day in various ways, but a favourite activity is baking and eating yummy Anzac biscuits!
According to the National Army Museum (and contrary to popular belief) our beloved golden Anzac biscuit was not present at Gallipoli. However, they do have deep connections to WWI troops. Women who remained home in New Zealand used rationed pantry ingredients with a long shelf life to bake ‘soldier’s biscuits’ and raise funds for the war effort at fairs and parades. ‘Anzac’ was added to the name after WWI, and recipes started appearing across New Zealand and Australia, celebrating the biscuit’s association with the Australian and New Zealand defence forces.
Baking is always popular at our kindergartens and early learning centres. It’s a wonderful sensory experience that supports a child’s learning in several ways:
- Following a recipe in a sequence (first we pour, second we add, third we mix)
- Teaching basic mathematical concepts through measuring and weighing ingredients
- Tactile and sensory learning through mixing, kneading, touching, and tasting
- Observing changes as food transforms from a sticky mixture to a solid treat
And of course, the best part is sharing their delicious creations with their friends, teachers, and whanau!
Our Papakura North Kindergarten, originally opened in 1978 to serve the military community of Papakura, has a delicious Golden Anzac Biscuit recipe (shared below). We encourage you to bake a batch of golden Anzac Biscuits with your children / tamariki this Anzac Day!
LEST WE FORGET
Papakura North Kindergartens’s Golden Anzac Biscuit recipe
Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 10-14 minutes | Servings 24-32 (depending on your chosen biscuit size)
Please do not leave young children unattended while preparing or eating food.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup rolled oats / old-fashioned oats
- 150g butter
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180° Celsius (160° C for fan-forced ovens).
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly grease. You may want to use two baking trays to spread the biscuits out a bit.
3. Combine flour, sugar, salt, coconut, and oats in a large mixing bowl.
4. Melt butter and golden syrup together (you can do this using a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a saucepan on a stove-top)
5. Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water and then add to the melted butter/golden syrup.
6. Pour the butter/golden syrup mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.
7. Scoop mixture using a teaspoon, roll into balls (approx. 3cm in diameter) and place on the baking tray. Lightly press each ball with a fork to flatten slightly – make sure to allow enough room for the biscuits to spread in the oven.
8. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes in the middle of the oven until golden brown (a shorter baking time generally means a chewier biscuit and a longer baking time means a crunchier biscuit).
9. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
10. ENJOY!
