LAMINGTONS RECIPE
A
lamington is an Australian cake, made from squares of butter cake or sponge
cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated
coconut. The thin mixture is absorbed into the outside of the sponge cake and
left to set, giving the cake a distinctive texture. Has a layer of chocolate
between two lamington halves.
Servings : 16 Individual Cakes
INGREDIENTS
For the spongecake
·
6
large eggs, at room temperature
·
3/4
cup (150g) sugar
·
1/4
teaspoon salt
·
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
·
1
1/3 cup (175g) cake flour*
·
2
1/2 ounces (70g) melted unsalted butter at room temperature
For the chocolate icing
·
6
ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
·
1
1/2 ounces (40g) unsalted butter
·
3/4
cup (180ml) milk, whole or lowfat
·
2
cups (220g) powdered sugar
· 2
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process (sifted if
lumpy)
·
2
tablespoons boiling water
·
3
cup (200g) unsweetened shredded coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
1.
To
make the spongecake, butter a 9-inch (23 cm) square cake pan and line the
bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2.
In
the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the eggs and granulated sugar and salt on high
speed for five to ten minutes, until thick and the batter forms a well-defined
ribbon that remains on top of the batter when you lift the whip. Stir in the
vanilla.
3.
Fold
the flour into the egg mixture by putting the flour in a sifter or mesh
strainer and sifting the flour over the top of the beaten eggs while
simultaneously folding the flour in using a whisk.
(You might want to steady the bowl
on a damp towel, twisted and rolled up into a circle, or get someone to hold
the bowl while you fold.) Fold in the melted butter until no streaks of butter
are visible, but do not overfold.
4.
Scrape
the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake
begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool
completely.
5.
When
cool, unmold the spongecake onto a cutting board and remove the parchment
paper. Trim the ends and cut the cake in half horizontally using a serrated
bread knife. (I find it easier to cut the cake into two rectangles first, and
cut each one separately.)
6. Make
the chocolate icing by melting together the chocolate, butter, and milk in a
heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove the bowl from the pan
of simmering water when smooth, then whisk in the powdered sugar and cocoa
powder.
7.
Spread
a generous 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the chocolate icing over one layer of the
spongecake, then top with the other half of the spongecake, sandwiching the two
together with chocolate icing in the middle.
8. Cut
the cakes into sixteen squares and whisk two tablespoons of boiling water into
the icing. Put the coconut into a shallow baking dish or bowl.
9. Use
your hands to dip the Lamingtons into the chocolate, rolling them around to
make sure each side is coated with the chocolate icing, then wipe off any
excess on the side of the bowl. Place the Lamingtons in the vessel of coconut,
tossing them around gently to get them coated on all sides. (I do two at a time.)
10.Once
iced and tossed in coconut, place the Lamingtons on a wire cooling rack and let
stand until the icing firms up a bit.
NOTES
*Cake
flour is finely milled, softer flour with less-gluten and a lower protein
content, and it’s used in spongecake recipes for an especially tender result.
It’s available in supermarkets under brand-names Swan’s Down and Softasilk in
the United States, and online. In France, I use type 45 flour (farine
pâtissière).
Although
it’s not quite the same, you can approximate cake flour using one of these
methods:
·
Subbing
all-purpose flour for cake flour (Baking Bites)
·
Make
your own cake flour (Smitten Kitchen)
·
How
to make cake flour substitute (The Kitchn)
Recipe
from davidlebovitz.com
Delicious Food Recipes
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