makes
16
prep
40 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Mid
makes
16
serves
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Chocolate sponge
- 235 g whole eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 125 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 100 g plain (all purpose) flour
- 20 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 4 g salt
- 25 g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
Raspberry jam
- 140 g frozen raspberries
- 115 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 30 g liquid glucose
Chocolate soaking syrup
- 240 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 240 ml water
- 90 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 40 g raspberry jam
Coconut coating
- 180 g desiccated coconut
- 25 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
The chocolate sponge can be stored in the freezer for a few weeks prior to using.
The chocolate soaking syrup can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer.
Instructions
1. To make the chocolate sponge, preheat oven to 165°C (fan-forced). Whisk the eggs, vanilla and caster sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer to create a foam.
2. Fold through the sifted flour, cocoa powder and salt through by hand.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add a little bit of the sponge mixture to the melted butter and mix together, then add the remaining sponge and fold through to combine.
4. Place the sponge mixture into a lined 160 mm square cake tin and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature before covering in plastic wrap and placing in the freezer, ensuring that it is well wrapped before freezing.
5. To make the jam, place the raspberries, sugar and glucose in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring. Heat until it reaches 103°C, or if you don't have a thermometer, continue testing the jam by placing a small amount on a chilled plate until you have a soft jam consistency (this will give you an idea of what the consistency will be like once set).
6. Remove the jam from the saucepan and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface.
7. To make the chocolate soaking syrup, combine the sugar, water, cocoa powder and raspberry jam in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
8. Remove from the heat and mix together with a whisk or a stick blender. Once combined, set aside to cool.
9. To make the coconut coating, combine the desiccated coconut and cocoa powder by rubbing them together by hand in a bowl.
10. To assemble the cake, remove the sponge from the freezer and trim the top with a serrated edged knife. While still frozen, divide the sponge into nine equal portions by cutting it with a serrated edged knife.
11. With the handle of a teaspoon, create a hole in the centre of each sponge cube, but do not go through to the base. Either with a spoon or a piping bag, place the remaining raspberry jam into the hole and fill it to the top. Dip each filled sponge into the chocolate soaking syrup and immediately into the coconut coating, covering each side with the coconut.
12. These lamingtons are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately two days.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
