Black Forest Lamingtons

Lamingtons are an Australian classic, but what if they were combined with another classic, the Black Forest Torte? Making a black forest torte into a lamington and testing it made me think why hasn't this been done before, they are ridiculously good and just as easy as the traditional lamington. Ok ok so what actually is the black forest lamington? It is 2 chocolate sponges sandwiched together with a cherry jam, soaked in a chocolate coating and then rolled in grated chocolate topped with some fresh whipped cream.... but you cant forget the literal cherry on top. Does that not just sound amazing??

---

Some tips and tricks before you get started

• Place the sponge in the fridge for approx 20-30 mins to cool completely before cutting, as cutting through a warm cake will not give you clean lines.

• The sponge is quite thin, so it will be a little flimsy and if you take it out of the tin the wrong way it can break. To take it out, leave it to cool in the tin for 10 mins and then place a wire rack upside down on top of the tin and then flip the tin so the sponge will fall nicely onto the wire rack.

• Dip the sponge immediately into the grated chocolate after dipping it into the chocolate, this will avoid a lot of mess.

• To avoid mess further with the dipping process, place a baking tray under the wire rack so it catches any excess drip

• If you are freezing the chocolate dipped sponge before assembling, make sure they are fully thawed before piping on the cream and cherry

• Covering the pan with aluminium foil helps the cake to bake evenly and with a flat top, to prevent any excess trimming of the top to make it flat. The sponge however wont have a crusty caramelised top either which is perfect for lamingtons.

• When making the jam, if it gets a little too thick, just add a little bit of water to thin it out. Also if you thin it out too much with water, just leave it to boil for a little bit longer to thicken up again. The jam is really forgiving. (we love that in recipes!!!)

• The cream can easily spread on with a knife or spoon, however I do love the look of the piped cream in the layers and on top, just to make it look that little bit more fancy. Here is the piping nozzle that I used for these lamingtons.

• This is the pan that I use, I love that it is quite versatile and the edges are sharp and straight, I find it hard to find those features in baking pans.

---

Black Forest Lamingtons

Makes 17

Time: 1hr 15 mins

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge

35g butter melted and slightly cooled

90g caster sugar (to go with the egg yolks)

95g caster sugar ( to go with the egg whites

7 large eggs separated

150g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

For the cherry jam

125g fresh or frozen cherries

60g caster sugar

1tsp lemon juice

For the chocolate coating

250g icing sugar

35g cocoa powder

10g butter

125ml boiling water

250 grated/shaved dark chocolate

For the cream

100ml thickened cream

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

17 fresh cherries

Instructions

1. To make the sponge, line a 23cm x 34cm with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 200°C

2. Whisk the egg yolks and 90g of sugar in a stand mixer on high for 4-5 mins or until it reaches the ribbon stage. Set aside

3. Whisk the egg whites and 95g of sugar in a stand mixer on high for 2-3 mins until stiff peaks.

4. Sift the flour and cocoa powder twice to make sure an even distribution of the flour and cocoa.

5. Fold one third of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and fold until it is mixed through.

6. Fold in half of the dry ingredients and then alternate with the egg whites until all the ingredients are folded through.

7. Lastly fold in the melted butter until combined.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter so it is evenly distributed across the pan. It may look like not a lot of batter, trust me it is correct. You only want the baked sponge to be approx 2cm-2.5cm high

9. Place tray in the oven for approx 10-12 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool (see baking tips)

10. While the sponge is cooling, make the cherry jam. Combine the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat and cook for approx 10-15 mins until the jam thickens. To check if the jam will set, place a small amount on a plate and allow to cool (place in fridge or freezer to speed up the process) Run your finger through the jam and if it stays separated then the jam is ready. If the jam has thickened too much add a teaspoon of water at a time to thin it out. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

11. Make the chocolate coating by combining the cocoa, butter and icing sugar in a bowl. Pour the boiling water in the bowl and stir until combined and lump free. Set aside.

12. Trim the sides of the sponge slightly and trim the top off the sponge to make it flat. Then cut the sponge into 4cm x 4cm pieces. you should end up with 34 pieces.

13. Layer 2 pieces of chocolate sponge together by spreading a thin layer of cherry jam in the middle. There should be 17 pieces in total.

14. Place the grated chocolate on a tray and have it nearby as you dip the sponges

15. Dip each piece of sponge into the chocolate mixture, one at a time ensuring all sides are covered.

16. After the sponges have been dipped in the chocolate coating, roll it in grated chocolate and place on a wire rack or tray to set

17. While the sponges are setting, whip the cream. Place the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl attached to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high until thick (approx 3 mins)

18. To assemble, fill a piping bag fitted with a #4B piping tube and pipe a small rosette on top of the lamington. Top the cream with a fresh cherry.

19. Place on a platter to serve.

Storage

To store your lamingtons, store them in a refrigerator in an airtight container, for up to 4 days

The sponge coated in chocolate and chocolate can be frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container.