Spiced Lamingtons

 

This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour. 

 

Ingredients

130 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

145 g Brown sugar

2 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Cloves

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Coriander

~1/8 tsp Salt

6 Eggs (700 g/dozen)

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Bicarb of soda

100 g Oil (I use Ricebran)

  

Caramel Icing

400 g Premium coconut cream (I use Ayam)

100 g Golden syrup

250 g Caster sugar 

25 g Vanilla extract

 

Coconut for coating

 

Method

If you keep your eggs in the fridge 1/2 fill the kitchen sink with hot tap water. Put the eggs in the hot tap water for 10 mins. If you keep your eggs at room temperature warm the eggs up by placing them in a dish of warm water (slightly hotter than 37 C).

Turn oven on to 175oC - fan forced.

Line a large rectangular pan (30 x 20 cm) with baking paper. Make sure the baking paper overhangs the edges.

Mix together the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour, spices, baking powder, salt & bicarb into a mixing bowl. I usually give these ingredients a whiz together in a food processor. 

The yolks & whites will be whisked/beaten separately; you will need two mixing bowls. If you have two bowls for your stand mixer use those. If you have one beat the yolks first in the mixing bowl, transfer it to the bowl containing the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour & then wash the mixing bowl for whisking the whites.

Measure out 100 g of sugar into the mixing bowl for the yolks. Put the remaining sugar into the bowl/container (not plastic) for the whites. 

Separate 4 of the eggs. Put the yolks in with the 100 g of sugar & the whites in with the 45 g of sugar. 

Put the last two whole eggs in with the yolks & sugar.  

Beat the egg yolks & sugar for ~9 mins until the ribbon stage has been reached. Below are photos of the yolk mix prior to beating & when it has reached the ribbon stage.      

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While the yolks are beating stir the egg white & sugar mix to help dissolve the sugar. I usually rest this mixing bowl on top of the hot tap water to help the sugar dissolve. 

If using the same mixing bowl to whisk the egg whites as the one used for the yolks, transfer the yolk mix to the mixing bowl containing the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour. Wash & dry the mixing bowl before putting in the egg whites & sugar mix.  

Whisk the egg whites & sugar for 1 1/2 - 2 mins until stiff peaks form. The length of time to whisk the whites will depend on your mixer & the speed you are using. 2 mins at max speed in my KitchenAid is too long. It is not a disaster if the egg whites are slightly over whipped it just takes a little longer to fold into the yolk mix. 

Fold the oil into the yolk mix & then fold in the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour to the yolk mix. To fold put a spatula/scrapper into the centre of the bowl & push it down through the mix until it reaches the bottom of the bowl. Bring the spatula toward you all the time scrapping the bottom of the bowl. When the spatula is at the edge of the bowl bring it up out of the mix & with a twist of your hand (90 - 180 degree clockwise turn if right handed) turn the spatula over. The mix that was on top of the spatula will now fall back into the middle of the mix. Rotate the bowl clockwise with your left hand while repeating the spatula movement. Ensure the mix has a uniform consistency before proceeding. The mix will deflate a great deal but don't worry. 

Fold in the whisked whites to the yolk mixture using the technique described above. I usually fold it in without "loosening" the yolk mixture. "Loosening" the yolk mixture should make it easier to fold in the remaining whisked whites. The yolk mix can be "loosened" by adding up to 1/4 of the whisked whites & folding this in. The remainder of the whisked egg whites are then added & folded in.

Pour the sponge batter into the lined tray. Use a spatula to level the top of the batter.

Put the baking tray in the oven & bake at 175oC for approximately 20 mins. The time will be dependent on your oven. If the sponge starts to come away from the sides it is ready. 

Bring out of the oven & allow to cool briefly. 

Making the caramel icing

Put all ingredients into a largish heavy based saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Do not let it boil until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and let the mixture boil (without stirring) for approximately 4 - 6 minutes. Take off the heat.  

Keep the icing warm until you are ready for dipping.

Coating the lamingtons

I think coating the lamingtons is a 2 person job. It gets a bit messy for me when I am dipping them & coating them at the same time.

Take the sponge out of the pan and put it on a bread board. Peel off any baking paper sticking to the sponge. Cut the sponge into squares/rectangles. I usually cut the sponge into ~5 cm squares or ~4 cm slices.

You will need a place to put the undipped lamingtons, a space for dipping, a space for coating & an area for putting the finished lamingtons. For the latter put a piece of grease proof paper on the bench with a cooling rack over the top of it. 

Put ~1/3 of the coconut caramel icing into a container (large enough to put one lamington in it). Sit this container over hot water to keep the icing warm.

Put the desiccated coconut in another container.

Dunk one of the undipped lamingtons in the icing, using 2 forks coat it completely. Use the forks to lift up the lamington & let excess icing drain off. This needs to be done quickly otherwise the sponge will soak up a lot of icing. 

Transfer the dipped lamington to the container with the coconut. Using 2 forks (not the same ones used for dipping) gently turn the lamington over to coat it completely with coconut. Transfer lamington to the cooling rack.

Repeat with the remaining undipped lamingtons. Add more icing to the dipping container when it is needed.

Allow the lamingtons ~1 hr to harden a little (as if I do that). 

These lamingtons are best on the day they are made. 

Simply enjoy!