I mentioned recently that Jac’s discovered the joys of baking. She’s been going through our cook books to find recipes for biscuits (cookies) and slices (bars) to bake. She’s been saying we should get a mixer so we can make cakes and breads and everything else more quickly/easily. Sounds good to me – wonder if I could talk her into one of those super-expensive shiny bright red KitchenAid mixers! How many of you guys dream of owning one of these mixers? And how many of you already have one? :P
We have a long weekend in Australia this coming weekend – we have a public holiday on Monday for ANZAC Day. Jac made a batch of ANZAC biscuits recently. If you’re not familiar with them, here’s a little info:
About ANZAC biscuits
- The ANZACs were World War 1 soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
- ANZAC biscuits were were originally called “Soldiers’ Biscuits” and first made by women on the home front and sent overseas to the soldiers.
- There are no eggs used in ANZAC biscuits. Eggs were scarce in war time (most poultry farmers became soldiers in the war), so the binding agent in ANZAC biscuits was golden syrup or treacle. Original wartime recipes for ANZAC biscuits did not include coconut.
The kitchen smelled fantastic as the biscuits baked in the oven. They turned out great – they looked golden, smelled golden and called out my name. :) Of course, the best way to make talking biscuits shut up is to eat them! :P
They were nice and chewy, just how I like them. Two ANZAC biscuits with a cup of tea make a lovely afternoon snack. Butter, rolled oats, golden syrup and coconut are a great combination. Jac prefers crunchy biscuits but I think chewy ones are perfect.
I love the Good Eats episode “Three chips for Sister Marsha” in which Alton Brown uses a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe and explains which ingredients you would vary (and why) to produce three different kinds of chocolate chip cookies: 1) thin and crunchy 2) puffy and 3) chewy. I’m definitely a chewy cookie kind of gal (as if that wasn’t obvious!). What cookie texture do you prefer?
I made ANZAC biscuits for the first time in high school and have loved them ever since. They are among my all-time favourite biscuits.
If you google “ANZAC biscuit recipe” you’ll see there are countless variations (they all have pretty much the same basic ingredients, with amounts varying slightly). The recipe we used this time came from the back of the McKenzie’s desiccated coconut packet. Another version of the ANZAC biscuits recipe (very similar) is available at the McKenzie’s website.
ANZAC biscuits recipe
Ingredients
125g butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon (20ml) golden syrup
1 cup McKenzie’s desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon McKenzie’s bi-carb soda
1 cup plain flour
2 (20ml) tablespoons boiling water
1 cup sugarDirections
Preheat the oven to 150C. Melt butter and golden syrup in a large saucepan. Add bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water. Combine all dry ingredients then add melted mixture. Mix to a moist but firm consistency. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto a scone tray. Bake until golden brown, approx 15-20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before placing on a wire cooling tray.
Note: For thinner crisper biscuits, add an extra teaspoon of boiling water
For a slightly more decadent version, you might like to try Macadamia ANZAC biscuits (Conor, they look great!)
GO TEAM CHEWY! :P
If you’ve sent me an email recently I apologise for not getting back to you yet – I’ve been horribly busy and have fallen behind (well, more so than usual) in my correspondence. I intend to respond to emails as soon as I can.
I'm TFP, a food blogger from Perth, Western Australia.
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello! :) I haven’t commented in months and months, and feel bad not commenting regularly like I used to, I’ve been really dreadful at internet correspondence recently :( I have been reading and enjoying all of your posts though, and thought I would post now to say hello! I hope you and Jac are both well. The new blog design looks really fantastic, really colourful and fun, and easy to find everything – a really wonderful job! I also wanted to post, but didn’t get around to commenting, when that chap wrote you a rude comment about your restaurant reviews and stuff, and how your blog has ‘evolved’. I didn’t say it then but will mention now, that I still love reading your posts as much as ever :) And the restaurant ones are really fabulous! It really makes me want to come to Perth to enjoy all of the delicious food you guys have there. :)
Those biscuits look fantastic! And gosh, yes I desperately want one of those KitchenAid mixers! My boyfriend thinks its ridiculous how much I want one, I always have to look at them in shop windows and admire the lovely colours! It’s got to the point where he even points out when he sees one in the background on a TV show, haha :)
I’ve wanted to try making ANZAC biscuits for ages, and I think this post has given me the inspiration to try very soon! I *love* chewy biscuits and cookies.
Anyway, that’s more than enough from me :) Take care and thanks again for your continued hard work on such an enjoyable, friendly and fun blog :)
Rosie,
Don’t worry, I don’t take it personally if people stop reading or commenting (for whatever reason). I go through phases of regularly reading and then not reading blogs. And most people who visit blogs never comment at all (including me). If you do give the ANZAC biscuits a go, I’d love to hear how they turned out. I’m pleased to read you like the new look and that you still enjoy the blog. :D
I do own a kitchenaid mixer and I LOVE it. They are expensive buy I take my food seriously! Haha
Those anzac biscuits look yummy! Love the Miss Trouble mug!
I have a Kitchenaid Mixer. A good investment if you enjoy baking. You can also use it to make fresh pasta.
I too own a kitchenaid mixer, got it free off points but if it broke down I would go immediately and buy a new one!!! its my most used thing in the kitchen. LOVE IT!!!! buy a beautiful one as they are heavy and best to live on the bench.
We don’t have a Kitchenaid, but we have admired them and said we should get one. They are expensive, but they’re robust and industrial. I always think that if you can afford it you should always go for the industrial type stuff, they’re built to last and they generally do.
Since we have to sell most of our stuff when we move maybe we can get a Kitchenaid :-) That’s the nice thing about moving country, you can sell off all your old stuff and buy new on the other side! :-)
I have a kenwood stand mixer. Whilst it may not look as sleek as the Kitchenaid models it does the job.
I love ANZACs. Probably my favourite biscuit.
I discovered your blog a few months ago and love it. It has really inspired me to get back into home cooking which I enjoy but had gotten out of the habit of doing. I have even been making bentos for work lunches. Being a Perth girl I also love reading about your eating out. I even took my nephew to Mondo Meats for roast meat sandwiches a couple of weeks ago after reading about yours. We both really enjoyed them, he has already asked if we can have roast meat sandwiches for breakfast next time he comes to my house. I live quite close to Mondo’s so this could be a dangerous discovery!
I bought a Kitchenaid mixer about a month ago and think it is fantastic. I figure if it is a once in a lifetime purchase then the sooner you get it the better, then you get longer out of your ‘lifetime’ which makes it better value for money!
i like your reasoning, and i shall be using it to justify any extravagant purchase from now on.
Linda,
Great to hear the blog has inspired you! :D Yes, if we lived near Mondo it would be very dangerous indeed. We’d be there close to every weekend. I’d get a roast pork sandwich and Jac would get roast lamb. And then I’d have to keep her from eating my crackle. :P Yes, very true about the value for money lifetime.
Sara,
Heheheh, yep. It is sound reasoning. I can see a salesperson saying something similar. :P
“(Alton Brown/Good Eats) three different kinds of chocolate chip cookies: 1) thin and crunchy 2) puffy and 3) chewy…What cookie texture do you prefer?”
For chocolate chip cookies, I prefer the traditional “Tollhouse Cookie” recipe found on Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels bags. They’re crisp on the outside (particularly the edges), tender on the inside. :-)
For other types of cookies, it depends. A favourite is Orange Drop Cookies; they are puffy/cake-like with a delicious orange frosting.
I like all kinds of cookies and they are my favourite dessert, trumping cakes and pies hands down. I rarely make homemade cookies because I have a hard time stopping eating them, lol.
Once a upon a time, I wanted a Kitchenaid. Then I was into Kenwood Chef Classic. But now I owned a Breville wizz mix. I bake a lot of cookies, cakes and of course frosting for my cake. It has been good to me so far. I’m more than satisfied.
I Sooo want one of those Kitchenaid mixers , been eyeing them up for about 10 years now.
I’m thinking of proposing to my GF just so I can request one as a gift 8)
Jac’s ANZACs look great!!! Perfect with a cuppa, especially out of a novelty mug :D
Thanks for linking to my little ones too, TFP :) I’m actually going to be whipping up a batch tomorrow to take into uni on Friday for a morning tea. We have lots of international students in my department and I feel responsible for educating their bellies about Aussie food (last morning tea I took in my Vanilla Slice). My ulterior motive is the smell they will leave in my house as they cook.
I desperately lusted after a KitchenAid for years, but then last year I bought myself a Kenwood Prospero for $150, it has more wattage than a KitchenAid and I love it. Really not as sexy looking, but I guess I ’saved’ hundreds of dollars that I can now spend on other sexy stuff, right?
Put me in the chewy group. I have my trusty hand mixer and an old stand mixer. I want the cherry-red Kitchen Aid with the glass bowl. Have to do the kitchen renovations first.
While my KitchenAid isn’t the shiny cherry one, my sleek black artisan model knocks my socks off every time! It’s a well worth the investment; especially if Jac decides to do some hardcore baking!
I have always wanted a Kitchenaid mixer because they looks sleek and sexy but I own a Kenwood Chef Classic after doing much research on value and quality.
I do use Kitchenaid mixer at work though, and I think Kenwood Chef Classic do they job better and they are alot cheaper too, if only you don’t mind how unsleek or unsexy they look!
Those mixers are awesome, and they last forever! My mom has had hers for what seems like my entire life. Their lasting power has a lot to do with the lifetime guarantee — if per chance yours were to malfunction, Kitchen Aid repairs it for you.
I’m definitely a crunchy-cookie gal, and I loved that Good Eats episode, too! So many recipes aim towards making cookies chewy, at least American recipes/cookies, so it’s great to have the knowledge to turn them into crisp cookies!
The first ANZAC biccies I had were for ANZAC day last year, and I lucked out with a package that were nice and crisp. I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal cookies without raisins or chocolate chips, so I was a little skeptical about the coconut, but it’s FABULOUS! Totally one of my favorite cookies now! :D
As for a KitchenAid: I had to leave a silver 6-quart Professional KitchenAid stand mixer behind when I moved here, and I so so miss it… Made the most lovely angel food cake!
Definitely get a KitchenAid. I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KP26M1XDP-Professional-6-Quart-Pewter/dp/B0002Y5X8S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1271878110&sr=8-4
in cobalt blue. LOVE IT! Seriously the best investment.
My kitchen aid mizer is possibly my all time favourite household toy. I was so lucky to get one using vouchers we received for our wedding – and it gets used at least once a week!
I love Alton Brown!
I had been asking Santa for a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for years and the chubby guy finally delivered this Christmas. I got a plain white one instead of the shiny red one I coveted but I don’t care, its awesome!
My sister bought a refurbished stand mixer from Kitchen Aid a few years ago, a very lovely shade of buttery yellow, and it has worked great from day one. It came with a warranty just like the new ones but was about $80 cheaper.
I’m now asking for a Kitchen Aid food processor. Lets see how long before Santa delivers this time.
Kitchenaid mixers fail because they mix directly in the center of the bowl and you can’t dump things into them easily. The mixing deal is too open and doesn’t whip enough air into the batter. Also it weighs a billion pounds so wherever you set it you have to leave it there. I have an awesome retro sunbeam mixer that is far superior to my moms kitchen-aid expensive one. http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-2346-030-Heritage-12-Speed-Stand/dp/B0001NRWDY No mixer is worth 400 bucks my friend, the food network is brainwashing ppl. You want a good expensive mixer? Go with something you can make 500 cookies with if your gonna spend that much money: http://www.amazon.com/Axis-20-Quart-Mixer/dp/B003A4EMT8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1271910069&sr=1-3
team chewy for life..
jetgirl, you may be right; but, I still want my Kitchen aid. I am powerless when I see that glass bowl! And the cherry red color… I’ll stop before I start gushing! :)
jetgirl,
Well, we’re gonna consider all options before making a final decision. The heaviness factor is one I know will be significant for Jac as she likes to be able to put things away so she has a clear kitchen counter. Makes me laugh when you say $400 – over here a KitchenAid is anywhere from $600-700! Which is part of the reason I’ve been so reluctant to take the plunge. I have to know it was the absolute best choice for my needs that I could’ve made at the time, before I buy it (I have that attitude when buying any appliance).
kathy,
Heheheh, I love pretty sparkly shiny toys too. Hence the dilemma that’s been referred to in other comments. Unsexy and cheaper or sexy and expensive… tough decision.
I made ANZAC cookies in year 7. It’s so easy to make and it tastes really good.
I have been talking bout getting a kitchenaid since i was only 15 years old. the way it whirls egg whites into beautiful meringues within minutes… the thought of dumping everything in to cream with the attachments and a hook to spare my heads from kneading all those unsuccessful bread doughs… they have been a silent alarm running in my head for good 5 years. i’ve got their catalog and even battled out within myself which color to get, but the truth is it just never happen. i dunno why… perhaps because i am sub consciously very contented with my handheld kenwood mixer, perhaps because i do not own a kitchen yet … i just never really get into it even though i bake on the average of twice a week. heck… i even have bake sale for cookies every Christmas and Chinese New year and yet i do not own a kitchenaid! but one day, i am so gonna get that sleek Empire Red or Vanilla white. just one day… =)
I have a KitchenAid Professional mixer.. I love it! I got a good deal off Amazon and it’s especially worth it, even though I’ll have to buy a transformer to use it when I move back to Australia. :)
Your post, combined with the comments, really made me want to try these. Let’s see if I can make them with my old-fashioned mixer :P
Anzac biccies – I plan on making some this weekend! Did you study home economics at high school? I remember that was when we were taught to bake Anzac biccies. The best ones I’ve ever eaten were made by a next door neighbour whom I never saw but always chatted to over our joint fence and her bouganvillea. She often left a litle ice-cream tub full of Anzacs for us on our verandah (which sort of joined onto hers). I never did ask her for her recipe – more’s the pity!
I like mine to be crunchy on the outside but still chewy in the middle!
Those look delicious–I’ve never heard of them, but I love coconut and oats! I’m definitely a crispy cookie person… but I do love chewy as well. How about chewy with crisp edges?
Oh wow! the Anzac biscuits look lovely! I was gonna make some before the long weekend but didn’t manage to…will have to be satisfied with just looking at your photos! hehe
Yummy, those look great :) I LOVE LOVE my Kitchen Aid mixer (I had to buy my twin sister one as a ’sorry gift’ after my sweet pomeranian Daisy had an anxiety attack and wee’d on her new expensive white doona cover ha ha ha), we make the best pizza dough in it every week and the most wonderful melting moments biscuits!! It is very easy to dismantle and clean too which is a big plus :)
I just made Anzac biscuits for tomorrow :) The only bad thing about the recipe is that you only need a wooden spoon and I didn’t get to use my lovely KitchenAid! ;-p Seriously though, I do totally love my Kitchen Aid… I have one in Almond Cream and it is so beautiful!
I love chewy biscuits too… especially Subway white choc and macadamia. I have a good recipe for those too!
Ruth xx
Those are probably one of the best versions of Anzac biscuits I’ve ever seen. Like much sexier Hobnobs. The last time I made Anzac biccies was at school, so thats over 30 years ago :P
I think I would covet those red Kitchen Aid mixers if I was a baker but its not something that’s my forte – they are lovely objects though ! I am a chewy cookie lover but I also have a place in my sweethings-heart for thin crisp brittle type biscuits – like really good butter biscuits or gingersnaps.
my aunt has a lime green kitchen, and that includes her kitchenaid!
Carmen,
Yes… the cost is the main reason I haven’t taken the plunge. I can afford to buy one, but it just seems like so much money, you know? I know they last for a long time though. Hmm…
Charmaine,
We found the Little Miss Trouble mug at swap meet for $1 and as soon as I laid eyes on it I knew we had to buy it. My tea is much more fun when drunk from that mug. >:D
Sam,
I don’t know if Jac would like something that is too heavy as she likes to put things away and have a clear bench. Not sure if she thinks KitchenAid mixers are as lovely to look at as I do. I’ll have to discuss that part of things with her. :)
Craig,
I agree re: choosing industrial quality stuff. But yeah, I don’t know if we would use it that much. Though, if we had one, we probably WOULD be more inclined to cook dishes that required a mixer. The saddest part for me about moving countries was having to give away all our books. At the time, shipping books across to Australia was not an option (given how many we had). As a consequence, most of my adult life has been devoted to “buying back” books I remember from my childhood. If I were to move countries (or even states) now, it would cost a small fortune to shift the books too, but I wouldn’t give them up,
Mark,
I’ve heard good things about the Kenwood mixers. They are definitely on our short list to be considered.
Cindy,
I believe the recipe Alton uses in that episode is based on the Tollhouse recipe. :) But yeah, he then makes adjustments to the basic recipe to vary the texture. I don’t eat cookies/biscuits that often as I try not to eat too much sugar – but when the opportunity comes to eat homemade biscuits, I rarely say no.
flower,
It’s good you found a mixer that suits you! I think we would definitely bake more if we had a mixer to use.
Minimike,
Mwahahahaha good plan! Instead of having a gift registry you could just get wedding guests to contribute to the KitchenAid fund.
Conor,
Yep. Novelty mugs combine with tea to become instant mood enhancers. :D The international students must love you, with all the baked goodies! I like the sound of more wattage. We will definitely look at the Kenwoods for sure. Yes! I’m all for more sexy stuff!
kathy,
I think overall here at the blog and on Facebook, Team Chewy has won. :D We have room in our kitchen – a nice big bench – for a shiny red KitchenAid… right now! I’m just still not prepared to take the plunge though. :P
Kali,
I like the black ones too – black, red and silver are my favourites in the range. Jac would probably like silver to match our other stainless steel appliances (oven, stove, dishwasher, kettle, fridge).
DimsumQ,
Yes… looks like Kenwood is the other brand to investigate and consider. Will definitely check out the Kenwood range. It’s very helpful to hear what everyone thinks and their experiences with the KitchenAid and the alternatives.
Steph,
That’s impressive. I guess if you’re paying that much that’s the kind of quality (build quality, quality of service) you should expect.
Melody,
I love that Good Eats episode too. I like rewatching it. I also really like the episode about onions (with French onion soup), waffles, fried chicken and the one where Alton’s grandma makes biscuits. I don’t have any kitchen appliances currently I am that attached to, but if I got an expensive shiny mixer I would definitely be sad if I had to leave it behind (though interstate/intercontinental moves are NOT on the cards :))
Sarah,
That sounds like the mixer described by Melody (comment 18). I think we will seriously look at the alternatives before making a final decision.
Lisa,
Fantastic! Your comment may inspire minimike (Comment 12) to take the plunge! :P
chef biatch,
Heheh, I’m an Alton fan too.
Ooh, I hope Santa works faster this time around! :P
Chi,
Yep. I first made ANZAC biscuits in school too. I guess because they are so easy and tasty they are a perfect recipe to set school kids loose on.
katherine,
I think as with any substantial purchase, when you’re ready to take the plunge, you’ll know. I figure we’re not ready yet or we don’t quite want one enough – we could afford to buy one tomorrow, but to date are still not compelled to make a decision and do the deed.
Michelle,
The KitchenAid Professional mixers are getting a good mention here in the comments! They’re on the short list for consideration.
Frank,
Haha, I’m sure you can. We made it no problem with no fancy-schmancy mixer! If you did give them a go, hope they turned out well!
oanh,
Yes, I did. In our high school they didn’t call it home economics – we had the cooking option which was called Food and Nutrition and the sewing option which was called Clothing and Fabric. I did Food and Nutrition (fondly known to us as Food and Nut). I still have the recipe we used in high school but didn’t need to retrieve it as Jac was happy to use the recipe off the coconut packet (she didn’t discuss the recipe with me, I just walked into the kitchen and the first batch was already in the oven!).
Megan,
Well, they do have a bit of crunch to them on the outside (they aren’t soft to bite), though they are definitely chewy once you’ve taken a bite and start chewing on them.
Natasha,
Oh well! I was hoping to get motivated to make more this weekend but it’s almost over and no baking was done! :P
Simone,
Heheheh. I never would’ve though dog wee on a doona would result in a KitchenAid peace offering, but that sounds like a great deal to me. :P Good to know it’s easy to dismantle and clean. I hate it when appliances work well but are a pain to clean.
Ruth,
Even the name “Almond Cream” sounds beautiful! :D A couple of readers on Facebook mentioned those Subway cookies – I must try one next time I’m in the vicinity of a Subway.
Greenlady,
I love gingersnaps too! But in that case it’s more to do with the ginger than the snaps. :)
beccah,
Hahaha, that sounds gorgeous! As I mentioned above in my reply to Kali, I think Jac would want a silver one to match our stainless steel appliances.
I’ve been addicted to Good Eats since uni! It’s by far the best food show on TV in the states!! I love the potato episodes, the Christmas episodes, the crepe episode, and the episodes for the Cooking with Your Kids weeks on Food Network–basically, any of the ones that work almost like a sitcom episode with an entertaining storyline to go along with the cooking information. :)
I also miss Shirley–she isn’t on the show nearly often enough these days!
Hi TFP
I got my KitchenAid for ‘free’ via a heap of points on one of my bank loyalty cards. I haven’t used it much as the oven at the last place we lived didn’t work properly (thermostat gone?). We’ve only recently moved into our new place, but the weather’s been too hot to do any baking. However, now that it’s starting to get cooler, I can see that KitchenAid moving on to the counter top…
Melody,
I haven’t watched Good Eats for ages. Whenever I watch it I can’t stop at one episode, it has to be a whole marathon. :)
Hi Rhonda,
I haven’t done any baking myself for ages – just haven’t felt like it. But Jac’s been having fun with it. She keeps digging up new recipes to try. The most recent recipe I’ve seen on her recipe pile is key lime pie – mmmm.
wow anzac and kitchen aid surely hit the spot. my recipe is fantastic although without coconut, very yummy; 1C oats, 1C bran/wheat germ ½C plain flour, 3/4C raw sugar, 110g butter, 2 heaped desert spoons of both golden syrup and molasses (gives it a lovely burnt biscuit flavour), 1t salt, ½t aluminium free bicarb. i like mine gooey too.
as far as the kitchen aid goes, go the whole hog and get a thermomix. why spend over $1k just to get a mixer when for just under $2k you get a machine that does all that + cooks + chops + puree’s + makes great juices, smoothies, makes perfect rice and can even froth your milk for a coffee!