Pavlova and Anzac Biscuits

I was in the mood to bake, so I've thrown in a couple signature Australian desserts to this week's meals.

I briefly mentioned the pavlova in Sunday's post, and I've been informed by my Aussie mate, Kristi, that "even more controversial than the republican debate is whether we came up with the pavlova or the Kiwis." And, it appears, both countries have valid arguments. According to Wikipedia, the earliest known recipe was reportedly created by a hotel chef in Wellington, New Zealand, for her visit there in 1926. Adding to the confusion, however, an Australian woman named Emily Futter included a pavlova recipe in her cookbook "Home Cookery for New Zealand" that also was published in 1926.

I'm certainly not about to get in the middle of a long-standing, contentious debate between two countries I adore so, in deference to both, I've included my Mum's pavlova in my Australian blog entry (New Zealand might never be picked by my SpinGlobe app, after all) and decorated it with whipped cream and kiwi fruit -- I'd hoped to find a passion fruit to adorn it with too, but there weren't any in our local grocery stores.

My Cate-Mate in Canberra -- Australia's capital city --  also made mini pavlovas, which she decorated with cream and blueberries. She sent me the attached picture of one, and it looks phenomenal!

At the suggestion of Cate-Mate's son, Conor, I also made a batch of Anzac biscuits. These cookies were created to send to World War I soldiers in battle, because they're inexpensive and non-perishable (they contain no milk or eggs). Originally called Soldiers Cookies, they were later renamed to commemorate the landing by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) in Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. They're super tasty -- not too sweet and packed with flavor. Plus, Cate swears they're great for munching during road trips and advised I should pack some for the car ride.

Here's how I made them both:

PAVLOVA:
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 275°. Whip the egg whites till foamy and add a pinch of salt. Continue whipping them till soft peaks form (they fold over). Very slowly add the sugar and continue whipping till hard peaks form (they stand up). Reduce the speed and add the vanilla, vinegar and cornstarch, blending till incorporated. Turn out the egg mixture onto a well-greased cookie sheet (if you can line it with parchment or wax paper, even better) and spread it out till it's a few inches thick. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250° and bake for another hour till the meringue is light brown. Turn off the oven and let it cool completely inside. Decorate it with whipped cream and fruit or other toppings of your choosing. Makes one 12" meringue.

BISCUITS:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup brown sugar, very loosely packed
1 stick (4 oz) butter
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp very hot/boiling water
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375°. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and mix in the honey. Then, stir together the hot water and baking soda and add that mixture to the butter. Once everything is well blended, pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. If the batter is too dry, slowly add additional water till you get the right consistency. Spoon the batter onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes till golden brown. Let them cool slightly before transferring them to racks to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen.