Coconut and Chocolate Ganache Lamingtons

, from Issue #84. May, 2019
Photography by Kate Battersby.
Coconut and Chocolate Ganache Lamingtons

A more luxurious take on the lamington, these moist coconut cakes are enrobed in chocolate ganache and toasted coconut, then filled with jam and mascarpone.

INGREDIENTS

Cakes
125 grams butter, melted
2 large eggs, size 7
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain flour
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup ground almonds (almond meal)
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
Chocolate Ganache
¾ cup cream
200 grams dark chocolate, 70 per cent cocoa, chopped
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
To assemble
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
½ cup thick dark berry jam
250 grams mascarpone
¼ cup freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries, to garnish (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease eight ½ cup-capacity cake tins.

Cakes: Whisk the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla together. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk in the milk mixture, ensuring there are no hidden pockets of flour in the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the tins and bake for about 25 minutes, or until firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave in the tins for 15 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool. The cakes can be made 2 days ahead of assembly. Store in an airtight container.

Ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan to just below the boil. Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, add the oil then whisk until smooth. Cool until it has thickened to a spreadable consistency.

To assemble: Place one cake on a large palette knife or fish slice. Spoon a dollop of ganache on top then spread evenly all over the cake (not the base). Hold over the bowl of toasted coconut and sprinkle evenly until well covered. Use a knife to slide the cake onto a cooling rack. When all the cakes are coated, place the rack in the fridge until the chocolate has set. Working with one cake at a time, slice off the top third and spread the base thickly with jam then a large spoonful of mascarpone. Replace the tops and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried berries, if desired. Makes 8