I love lamingtons so much. They were probably my favourite treat as a kid, and probably the only thing that contained chocolate that I genuinely really loved.
I loved when I found a lamington at a bakery that had lovely soft icing, not the kind that set really firmly. I remember taking a Chinese exchange student who stayed with us a week or two to the local French bakery and insisted that she try one - she was only in Australia for a couple of weeks after all, and tasting a lamington is a must do when someone visits! And oddly the French bakery made very good lamingtons!
I also remember getting those small lamingtons from a packet in the supermarket in my lunch box sometimes at school. I’d probably hate them if I tried one now, but back then they felt like I had hit the lunchbox jackpot.
Quite a few years ago I realised chocolate was no friend to me, and decided I must stop eating it (in any form) to avoid the side effects I was experiencing. And one of the most difficult things to give up was lamingtons. I made them at home a couple of times (recipe here), and they are well worth the effort, but sadly not if you actually can’t eat them.
I’ve been thinking about a white chocolate version for a while, and finally I have given it a go. I have made the whole lamington making process much more simple by making a slice rather than individual lamingtons. I have also incorporated one of my favourite things, caramelised white chocolate. Please use good quality white chocolate (Lindt couverture or similar with a cocoa butter content of around 30%) for this.
I am really happy with how this lamington slice has turned out, and to have a new version of a lamington I can enjoy!
Let me know in the comments if you give this recipe a go!
NB. Do not try using any white ‘baking’ chocolate you can find in the baking isle at the supermarket. As these chocolates are not pure white chocolate, the caramelisation process will not work.
Caramelised White Chocolate Lamington Slice
Ingredients:
125g unsalted butter (softened) or margarine
165g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
250g self-raising flour
105ml milk
80g mixed berry or raspberry jam
Ingredients for the Icing:
100g good quality white chocolate (see note above recipe)
280g icing sugar
7g unsalted butter, softened
65ml milk
40g shredded coconut
freeze dried raspberry, about 1 tsp if powdered or 4 raspberries if whole
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a lamington tin (rectangle tin with dimensions approx. 30 x 20cm) with baking paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add half the flour and half the milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and milk and mix on medium speed until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tray and smooth the top. Place teaspoons of jam over the mixture, and using a knife to swirl the jam into the batter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake is light golden in colour and springs back to the touch.
Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Allow to cool completely before making the icing.
To make the icing, preheat oven to 120 degrees Celsius/110 degrees Celsius fan.
Line a small baking tray completely with foil, and place the chocolate in a single layer in the centre of the tray.
Place in the oven for 5 minutes, then stir. Repeat every 5 minutes for about 25 minutes or until the chocolate has smoothly melted as is a lovely golden colour.
The chocolate will seem grainy for the first 10-15 minutes, don’t worry just keep stirring every five minutes and the chocolate will become a smooth consistency again.
In the last five or so minutes you can decide how caramelised you want your chocolate - leave in the oven for an extra five minutes after stirring for a slightly deeper golden colour, and caramelised flavour.
Once you have caramelised your chocolate place in a medium bowl, and whisk together with the icing sugar, butter and milk until it reaches a smooth consistency. Cover the cake with the icing, allowing it to fall over the sides.
In a small bowl mix the coconut with the freeze dried raspberry (crush up any whole raspberries between your fingers before mixing), then cover the cake with the coconut.
Cake can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
