This is my entry for Mr P’s re-invent the Lamington challenge and in celebration of Australia Day today. 
Now before Jan. 2010, if you had asked me what a Lamington was, I suspect I may have corrected you, saying there’s nothing like a Lamington. I might have added even more – ‘It’s a place near Brighton in the UK…or some city in the American SW’. I would never have suspected for one minute what they were, or that they were from the land of my dreams – Oz. As in Australia.
Can you imagine being asked the the port of entry – ‘Lady, what do you know about Autralia? Do you know what a Lamington is?’ And I may have said with confidence, ‘Is it cousin to the Kangaroo and Koala?’ At which point I may have been refused entry and denied my dream of dining with Nick Perry/meeting Kylie Kwong!!!!!
Anyhow, thanks to Mowie, I’ve been knocked out of the land of ignorant bliss, into the world of craving Lammies and desiring them night and day. As have my kids, who are becoming blog watchers, checking out who’s posted what. Its no wonder I try to avoid blogging in the day…..lest they steal all my friends J and let the world know how I don’t let them bake cakes everyday….and all the rest.
I must confess that I have recipes that I hold on to for years…and others I see that are instant makes, like this and this. And of course, seeing the simplicity of Lamingtons, I knew what category they fell in. Easy bake…quick to make!
So for those of you, who were like me in Dec 2009, not knowing what Lamington’s were…here’s the deal – Lamingtons are little squares/rectangles of cream cake, covered in melted chocolate and rolled in dessicated coconut. Typically, they are then refrigerated so the chocolate sets and hardens and then they are eaten…by the mouthful…..
Or if you can’t wait, then you can eat them straight away, but that would be rather unlamingtonesque of you. Plus you miss the effect of the chocolate, soaking through the cake…but why not have both – some now, some later and then everything is nicely balanced.
As God would have it, the same week we saw this, I bought a chocolate fondue set……so the idea of making Lamingtons a la fondue was born.
Now while I loved the idea of making the special Lamington sponge, I have to raise the 3 kids card….and say I didn’t. Instead I made my favourite and quick yogurt cream cake, ready in 25 minutes (from start to finish).
Then also, instead of going the normal Lammie chocolate route, I adjusted the fondue chocolate recipe, adding some icing sugar and milk to thin it a bit and the bit I enjoyed the most was making some of the rainbow colours for the crust!
All that involved was putting a few drops of food colouring into the dessicated coconut and rubbing the colours through and leaving this mixture out to dry overnight.
The next morning, I laid out bits of fruit, marshmallows and cake and the Lamington fondue began. We had Strawberry Lamingtons…..
They tasted mighty good!
And Marshmallow ones too.
But secretly, I had a plan…..
To make both a cherry kiss (thanks to Mr P’s inspiration). It worked but I couldn’t quite capture that on ‘film’.
My cheese and apple jelly filled lamington didn’t quite make it to production, mainly because the final pre-choc product was too large for me to comfortably hold and roll in chocolate so…I just ate it like that!
But the others worked….rather beautifully too and my children are forever enamoured, if their constant cries this weekend past for ‘fondue’ are anything to go by!
You’ll also see that I’m not very patient, cutting through my Lamingtons before they’d had time to set. What can I say?
I also made rose and chocolate Lamingtons. They were ok but next time, I will add some rose water to the cake batter and make/find some rose jelly/Turkish delight as filling in the centre to lift the ‘rose’ flavours. As it is, the rose flavour is light, gently…and may even be missed, overcome by the strength and character of cocoa and choco……I’m glad I tried. I may even attempt the true Lam cake and the chocolate process to see if there’s a signigficant difference.
I don’t think so but it’ll give me another opportunity to make more…..
And do you know now that in future, kids birthday parties will have Lamingtons as an essential. As for Easter pressies and Christmas boxes, I suspect I’m saying move over Truffles…..here we come……unless I discover something else before then.
Thanks Mowie and Mr P….Suffice it to say I now totally ♥ Lamingtons!
And I’d like to invite you back on Thursday for a very special happening – a giveaway, my first ever….Honest it is going to be so much fun – Pr♥mise!
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Rainbow Lamingtons a la Fondue….. – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Ooh yummo! Nice twist on the Aussie Lamington. Particularly love the idea of a delicious filling in the middle of it.
Hurray for Lamingtons for Australia Day!! They look wonderful!
These look so delicious. Great idea, and I love the hand photographs!
they are beautiful, Ozoz. i especially like the rose you have added in the photos. x shayma
ps i agree with Zurin! xxxxoooo
Absolutely fabulous work! I hereby grant you honorary Aussieship.
Haven’t had one of these babies in a long time, love your fondue idea, really cool.
What a wonderful way to engage the entire family & little kids too!
And I love the way you’ve taken the concept and applied it to so many wonderful eats!
Love it!
Cheers! Devaki
http://www.weavethousandflavors.com
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I am staring at your photos in awe. These babies are beyond gorgeous. They are show stoppers for sure. Wow.
Sam
Yay Oz! I love your gorgeous rainbow lamingtons!
Those look wonderful! Love the colors.
colourful lamingtons!! i like that, so very creative ozoz 😀 makes me wanna eat em all off the screen.
Oh wow, they all look so gorgeous ! I totally love lamingtons, n i made them colourfull too, you could take a look at them … it was long long ago !
http://aapplemint.com/?p=39
Love the multicoloured dessicated coconut and your honour of the country that we keep trying to entice you to visit =D
Why hasn’t an Australian thought of aking Lamington with a fondue set? Or better yet, a chocolate fountain?
I guess we really do just take them for granted.
Great entry.
You are so creative! These would be perfect to serve at a Valentine’s Day party.
I go to an Aussie cafe in London nearly five times a week (they make the best coffee in London and I’m an addict). I have not seen these there! I will be inquiring about them tomorrow. They look amazing, and love your colored coconut.
I hope they have them!!!!!!!! They would be GREAT with coffee!
Wow, your photographs are so beautiful. This is my first encounter with Lamingtons and I think they are too pretty to eat!
I LOVE lamingtons!! I had my first take of one in an Australian bakery. I kept seeing them everywhere and my curiosity got to me one day! love them!
I made them about a year ago for the first time… they are a little messy to make, but totally worth it!!
Yours look amazing!! I love what you have done!
I love the colored coconut- looks so nice. I’ve not had lamingtons before and I’m very keen to try them.
Oh, I LOVE the cheese-filled one! Brilliant notion! 🙂
🙂 a testament that brilliant ideas….don’t always work!
Yummy! I wish the cheese and jam had worked–that would be great with chocolate. Beautiful pictures!
Coconut flakes are delicious. I love the colors of those little treats as well.
I learned what lamingtons are for the first time last week. I love your shapes, sizes, textures and colors! Very creative and they look delicious!
Such beautiful lamingtons! I was also ignorant of lamingtons until recently and now, I’m happily finding them all over. Lamingtons a la fondue was a brilliant idea!
BTW, I’ve also bookmarked your yogurt cake recipe!
I LOVE the yoghurt cake recipe so thanks and hope you enjoy it too!
Leave it to you to make it even more fun! I love the colored coconut and the rose flavoring. What a great idea! What fun! Do your kids know how lucky they are?
Lucky…the kids….hmmmm. Check back when they’re teenagers for the answer to this!
Ah Lamingtons…there so routine here that we often take them for granted! It’s nice to see them afforded the love and attention they deserve… 🙂
These look so pretty. Gosh Lamingtons! Haven’t come across those in years – used to find them everywhere in the UK in my youth. Don’t think they ever had chocolate, just sponge covered in coconut, but I like the addition. Think I might be putting these on my list of things to make.
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Thanks,
Carsten
Same as you Oz, I haven’t had a clue what Lamington was until reading about Mowie’s lamingtons 🙂 And now as I see your beautiful Lamingtons in different colours I’m intrigued to try them very soon!
Gosh they are so pretty! n Id really like to know where u find the time to do all of this , take pictures and blog and take care of 3 kids and a husband and a home? you are an amazing lady!!!!
Oh Zurin, confession time: I don’t do much of housework :-)….at all. So, not that amazing!
Visiting your blog is dangerous! All of it looks so enticing, especially the maroon cherries!
Perfect little Lamingtons – and I LOVE the coloured coconut! I grew up thinking these were a South African snack, until i moved to London and heard the Aussies has staked a claim. See – travel broadens the mind! (and the hips, with stuff like this around!!)
Oh Jeanne, my hips are so broad that this woman may need to stay home soon! Unable to go through travel doors!!
I love it! What a fantastic idea – get everybody involved in the lamington production! I see no reason why only one person should endure all the mess and clean up so that everybody else can benefit.
Good work, Butterfly! 🙂
Tweaks or no tweaks to tradional recipe, these Lamingtons look great. I’ve never eaten them before. I didn’t realise the chocolate soaked into the sponge, I have never understood why people are so crazy about them (or Tim Tams for that matter) but I feel more incline to try them now I’ve seen this variation. xx
Waw!! You are such a creative foodie woman!!
Excellent ideas & genius looking apart lamingtons!
Georgous & so tasty too,…I also love the white & blue part coverering of the Lamington’s!! Hahahahaa,…mmmmmmm,…
so pretty! i love how you made them into rainbow colors!
These must be the most beautiful lamingtons that I have seen. Looks like lots of fun making and eating. I have to try this.
Surely with your gorgeous lamingtons you just have to show immigrations your pictures and they might even grant you citizenship on the spot! Well done! 🙂 When do you visit let me know okay?! Would love to meet the brain behind this beautiful blog!
Oh Trissa…would ♥ to me you too!