Whether you like them crisp, chewy or straight out of the bag, having an excess of Anzac biscuits is not so much a problem as a solution.
While they’re lovely plain, the rolled oats and golden syrup are a perfect foil for other desserts – or if you’re feeling decadent, breakfasts.
With chewy biscuits, the easiest option is an ice-cream sandwich. Just dollop a spoonful between two biscuits and bite in before the biscuit hardens or the ice-cream melts.
Crunchier Anzacs can be loosely crushed over a scoop of ice-cream and served with tinned pears or peaches. Because the golden syrup and fruit pack enough flavour and sweetness, plain vanilla is best for this. If you like this quick dessert enough to make it a repeat event, store excess Anzac crumble in the freezer to keep it fresh over several months.
For a dish healthy enough to pass for breakfast on a weekend, try substituting the topping in Cooking Matters’ banana crumble with crushed Anzacs. Store bought Anzac biscuits are often vegan, so if you substitute the side of yoghurt for a coconut version, this dish preserves their plant-based nature.
For something more ambitious, Anzacs can be used as a cheesecake base. You’ll need them to be very finely crumbled for this, so if you don’t own a food processor, place them in a sandwich bag, wrap it in a tea towel, then brutally ravage it with a rolling pin, smashing at first, then rolling until they’re throughly crushed.
New Idea’s version is baked on a low heat (with sliced up Crunchie on top), while Taste’s uses gelatine to set the cheesecake, so there’s no baking required.
To lean very deeply into Australiana, try Sydney-based food blogger Sarah Shrapnel’s recipe which frankensteins Anzac biscuits into another CWA classic, the caramel slice.
Finally, if the biscuits have already gone stale, use them to make a refrigerator cake.
