ANZAC Pie

I don't remember when I ate my first ANZAC biscuit.  I made them myself at home from a recipe that I found on the internet (probably using a free trial of AOL).  If you have never had one, they are really good.  They are crunchy oatmeal coconut cookies that were sent to the ANZAC troops in Turkey during World War I.  

This year, I wanted to try something different.  So, I took the elements from the cookie and used them in different proportions to make a pie filling.  The ingredients are not that different from a southern oatmeal pie, it is only the amounts that differed.  The only major switch was to use golden syrup instead of corn syrup.  Golden syrup is not easy to find in the US and the only place near me that carries it is World Market.  If you cannot find it near you, it can also be ordered online.  You also want to use quick-cook oatmeal instead of rolled oats.  However, for the cookies, you need to use rolled oats and not quick-cook oatmeal.

Here is my recipe:
4 eggs
1/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of golden syrup
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of quick-cook oatmeal

Beat the eggs until frothy.  Mix together the sugars, flour, salt, and butter.  Add to eggs and stir.  Add golden syrup and stir.  Add coconut and oatmeal, and stir.  Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350°F for 55 minutes.  Allow to cool entirely, so that it sets up, before serving.

My pie turned out a little runnier than I would have liked, so next time I would add more flour or switch the flour for cornstarch, cornflour if you are an Australian.  This may have been due to using golden syrup instead of corn syrup.  But using golden syrup instead of corn syrup really makes a difference in getting the flavor right.  The flavor of the pie is outstanding:  it totally has the flavor profile of ANZAC biscuits.  Although, it is a lot sweeter than the cookies, more like the sweetness of a pecan pie.  So, if you are looking for a way to shake up your ANZAC Day celebrations on April 25th:  you're welcome.

Piece out!
Justin