This is a very popular cookie in Australia, particuarly around ANZAC Day and is based on a recipe I found in the paper a year or so ago and have been making religously since then because it is:

Simple to make ( the kids can help with all the mixing)
Reasonably good for them (contains wholegrain oats)
Tastes amazing! (Mmmm chocolate...)

Here is what you will need.

1 cup Plain Flour
150g Dark Chocolate Bits (the ones that don't melt much when cooked)
150g Milk (or Dark) Chocolate Melts (used for the chocolate topping)
1 cup whole rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/4 cup caster sugar
125g unsalted butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients

Add the dry ingredients as shown:

- Sift the cup of plain flour into the bowl
- Add the choc bits (not the melting chocolate)
- Add the cup of Oats
- Add the cup of Desiccated coconut
- Add the brown and caster sugar
- Add the cocoa

Once they are all in the bowl, just mix around until they are combined. Great job for the kids - no liquids yet !

Step 2: Mix the Liquid Ingredients

Now turn on a hotplate on the stove and start warming a small saucepan.

- Add the 125g butter to the saucepan
- Add the 2 tbsp Golden syrup
- Add the 2 tbsp water

Gently heat while stirring until the butter is melted and the combined liquid is warmed through.

Now, add the 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the liquid while it is still warming.
Stop stirring and you should see that the mixture is starting to foam, reacting to the bicarb.

Now it is ready to add to the dry ingredients!

Step 3: Combine All Ingredients

Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the combined dry ingredients.
Mix all together until wel combined.

Step 4: Divide Into Balls and Bake

Prepare two trays lined with baking paper.

Now is also a good time to start pre-heating the oven to 160 degrees celcius. (150 degrees celcius if fan forced)

Use a tablespoon and damp hands to roll the mixture into balls and place on the baking trays.
The amounts here make about 18 balls

When all laid out, flatten the balls with damp hands until the mix is about 1 centimetre high.

When the oven has reached 160 degrees, place the trays in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
- 12 minutes if you like the cookies a little chewy in the middle
- 15 minutes if you like them crunchier\

Note: It helps to rotate the trays half way through as well to bake evenly.

Step 5: Once Cooked, Cool the Cookies.

Once you take the cookies out of the oven, l;eave themt o cool for 5 minutes while still on the trays.
They will be quite flexible and if you place them straight on the racks, they will start to form slightly to the rack.

After 5 minutes, slide the baking paper and the cookies carefully of the trays and leave them on the wire racks to cool completely.
This could take 30 miniutes.

Step 6: Top the Cookies With Melted Chocolate

Add an inch of water to a saucepan and place over a high heat.

Add a metal bowl over the top - but make sure that the bowl does not touch the water.

Place the chocolate melts into the bowl and stir until melted.

Carefully spoon the melted chocolate into a heat tolerant plastic bag (zip lock bags are good) and then snip the corner off the bottom of the bag. Make sure you only make a small hole in the bag.

Carefully pipe the melted chocolate over the cookies - get creative if you like.

Leave the topping to cool completely until solid. Enjoy!!