Family Reunion Infosheet

Australia Day in on January 26th. It is a public holiday that is observed all over Australia. Some Australians go to the beach, others have BBQs in their back yard, while others just enjoy a well earned day off. Contrary to believe, very few Aussies throw a shrimp (or prawn, as they are called in our neck of the woods) on the Barbie. Having said that we do enjoy eating them by hand with or without some cocktail sauce. It is more common for Australians to buy a kilo or 2 of fresh prawns (cooked of course) and snack on those while the sausages and steak are cooking on the BBQ. Caramelised Onions are always on the menu, along with buns, tomato sauce, and salad. There naturally are variations to this culinary spread, some are more gourmet than others, but all in all the usual emphasis is on fresh produce with very little preapration required. Normally the woman prep everything and the men stand around the BBQ cooking the food, with a beer in hand. In their eyes they are giving the ladies the day off!

After the BBQ there is always dessert. Some Australian’s serve Ice Cream (after all it is in the middle of Summer, and most of the time the temp is around 40 degrees C (about 100 degrees F). Others like to go with something more traditional like Pavlova or Lamingtons.

Just about everyone  has a recipe for Pavlova (and there are many more variations online) but I would like to introduce you to the LAMINGTON. This is quintessentially Australian, as are pumpkin scones, but I’ll save that for another post. The humble Lamington is a favourite in school lunch boxes and I don’t know an Australian man who would turn one down. It is basically a white sponge cake cut into squares that are then dipped in a chocolate sauce make from cocoa powder and rolled in coconut, then allowed to set before serving. Delish! Here is my favourite recipe…. Enjoy.

Lamingtons

SPONGE CAKE
(make your own from this recipe, or do as we do, order a 1/4 slab of sponge from your local bakery)

3 eggs
1/2 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cornflour
15g (1/2oz) butter
3 tablespoons hot water

Beat eggs until thick and creamy. Gradually add sugar. Continue beating until sugar completely dissolved.
Fold in sifted SR flour and cornflour, then combined water and butter.
Pour mixture into prepared lamington tins 18cm x 28cm (7in x 11in).

Bake in moderate oven approximately 30 mins.
Let cake stand in pan for 5 min before turning out onto wire rack.

CHOCOLATE ICING
3 cups desiccated coconut
500g (1lb) icing sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
15g (1/2oz) butter
1/2 cup milk

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into heatproof bowl.
Stir in butter and milk.
Stir over a pan of hot water until icing is smooth and glossy.

Cut sponge cake into 16 even pieces.
Holding each piece on a fork, dip each cake into icing.
Hold over bowl a few minutes to drain off excess chocolate.
Toss in coconut or sprinkle to coat.
Place on oven tray to set.

(Cake is easier to handle if made the day before.
Sponge cake or butter cake may be used.
May be filled with jam and cream prior to icing and rolling in coconut.)