Australia Day - lamintons and pavalova

Ahh a public holiday loads of sunshine, plenty of food, family and fun. We spent the day pretty much in the pool. My brother, his wife and their two children joined us as did my sister and brother in law. For lunch we had a BBQ (barbeque) butterflied leg of lamb with a simple salad...dessert was more decadent.

Our passionfruit didn't ripen in time so we bought a couple for about a dollar each (crikey!) because they are a must have topper for pavalova.

This picture is especially for Gardenmama, I do wish you could taste one; your tastebuds would do a little dance.

and this is what we did with them (your tastebuds would be tingling all over by now!)

For those of you who may not have been introduced to the pleasures of pavalova; it is a base of light fluffy meringue tpped with whipped cream, fresh fruit and and passionfruit pulp. I kept it pretty simple this year and I cheated by buying little mini meringue nests rather than making one but that is because I was busy making lamingtons and i didn't have enough hands or time to do both!

Lamingtons ~ sponge cake, coated in chocolate and rolled in coconut another little Aussie favourite.

Here is the recipe:

For the sponge cake ~3 free range eggs from happy chooks, 1/2cup caster sugar, 1/2cup corn flour, 2tbs self raising flour.

Preheat your oven to 180degrees C (160 fan forced) not sure what the fahrenheit is. Grease a laminton tin (yes there really is such a thing!) an oblong tin, deepish say 30cmx15cm something like that anyway; line the bottom with baking paper. In a small bowl whisk together the corn and self raising flours and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the three eggs together on high til they are thick, light and fluffy. Gradually add the caster sugar while you continue beating until all the sugar has dissolved. Quickly and lightly flod in the flours into the egg mixture - do not over mix - you want it light and fluffy. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer gently poked in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. When cool cut into small squares.

For the chocolate icing ~ 3 cups of icing sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, 90g butter, 3/4cup boiling water. (I know sugar overload!)

Combine the icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl; stir in combined butter and water and mix til smooth.

To put it all together ~ 2-3 cups of desiccated coconut and a couple of forks.

 Using two forks, dip the sponge squares, one at a time, into the chocolate icing mixture,

roll in coconut, and stand on a wire rack. Repeat til there is no bare cake left. Let the lamingtons sit for at least an hour (we put them in the fridge) before gobbling.

Happy Australia Day to all who reside here and those who live abroad but have hearts here.