Anzac biscuits

Begin by preheating your oven to a warm 180°C (fan 160°C or gas mark 4) ensuring the perfect baking environment for your biscuits. In a large mixing bowl, combine the hearty porridge oats, fragrant desiccated coconut, soft plain flour, and sweet caster sugar, swirling them together to create a dry mix bursting with texture and flavor. Meanwhile, gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, stir in the luscious golden syrup, allowing the ingredients to meld into a glossy golden mixture. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in two tablespoons of boiling water to activate its leavening magic, then whisk this fizzing mixture into the butter and syrup blend, ensuring it's well incorporated. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in, carefully folding everything together with a gentle hand until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the biscuits tender. Using a dessertspoon, scoop spoonfuls of the mixture onto buttered baking sheets, spacing them about 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart to give each biscuit room to spread and crisp beautifully. Bake each batch for 8 to 10 minutes until the biscuits turn a rich golden brown around the edges, signaling their delicious readiness. Once baked, transfer the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool completely; this helps them firm up to the perfect chewy-crisp texture. Tip: For a nuttier depth, lightly toast the oats and coconut before mixing. Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight container to maintain freshness.