Isabella’s bikkies mix with the best | Photos, video

But don’t just take our word for it, the Year 5 Bedgerabong Public School student’s Anzac biscuits have been judged the best in the NSW Under 12s by the Country Women’s Association.

Isabella first baked the traditional biscuits at school with Mrs Marilyn Horan, and she’s now just about got the recipe down to a fine art.  

The Land cookery competition uses a standard recipe and biscuits must each be 8cm diameter. 

With everyone working from the same recipe, the secret must surely be in the baking and presentation.

It took Isabella a little practice to get them right, but her giant chewy Anzac biscuits have now impressed judges through to the top of the competition.

Mrs Horan said the school supported the Bedgerabong CWA cooking competitions each year, baking entries at school.

This year fellow student Patrick Bird won the local competition, with Isabella second, both progressing to the Oxley Group competition.

Isabella’s bikkies came first in Oxley and Patrick’s second, it was then up to Isabella to represent the group at State level.

She baked her next batch at home with mum Katie and handed her best four biscuits over to Bedgerabong CWA’s Leona Irvine to drive to Tumbi Umbi for judging.

Word of Isabella’s win came back pretty quickly and was met with much excitement both at school and home.

“I screamed,” Isabella admitted. 

So … what are the secrets to a good Anzac bikkie? The CWA recipe calls for: 

1 cup plain flour

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ⅓ cups plain rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut

½ cup caster sugar

¼ cup (firmly packed) brown sugar

125g butter, cubed

¼ cup golden syrup

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Full details are available at  cwaofnsw.org.au/cookery.html

This makes giant, chewy Anzac biscuits, although Isabella actually prefers a crunchy Anzac.