Amarena Lamingtons

Marta from Mangiare è un po'come viaggiare is hosting Weekend Herb Blogging and this week it's all about coconut.

There's a bit of a shortage of coconut this time of the year due to an Australia Day tradition of lamington making. A lamington in its most simpliest form is a cube of sponge lightly coated in chocolate icing that is then covered in desiccated coconut. There's lots of variations - jam filled, white chocolate, strawberry but I've decided to make mine with a secret - I've baked an amarena cherry into mine. Rather than squares, I've made circles and pyramids.

Amarena Lamingtons

For the sponge:
2 eggs
70 grams icing sugar
70 grams flour, sifted
1 tablespoon milk
amarena cherries, drained
For the Chocolate icing:
120 grams icing sugar
40 grams cocoa powder
boiling water
desiccated coconut

Make the Sponge:
Beat the eggs and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add half the sifted flour and milk and fold through using a metal spoon being careful not to deflate the mixture. When it is almost incorporated, add in the rest of the flour and milk and fold through until just combined.

To make these I've used a 15-hole small pyramid sheet and a 12-sheet mini muffin sheet. Make sure the moulds are greased and spoon in the mix until three-quarter full. Carefully ease in an amarena cherry into each.

Bake in a preheated 170°C oven until golden brown - the time taken will depend on size you're making - pyramids will take about 10 minutes and the mini muffin rounds will take between 15-20 minutes.

Let them cool a little before removing from the moulds - place them on a wire rack to cool.

Make the chocolate icing:
Sift the sugar and cocoa together and add enough boiling water to make a thin, smooth icing.

Assemble the lamingtons:
Place a wire rack over a sheet of baking paper to catch any icing sugar.

Take a lamington and dip into the chocolate icing making sure it is totally covered. Use a fork to drain the lamington from the icing and then place on the wire rack. Let it sit for a minute before placing it into a bowl of desiccated coconut - make sure it has been completely covered with coconut before placing it back on the wire rack.

Repeat the process until all the lamingtons are done and then store them in the fridge to set.