Over the holidays, my family and I went to Adelaide, South Australia, to visit my Nana. Being part of the commonwealth, Australian cuisine is similar to British cuisine but with an exotic edge. The multitude of immigrants and the island's proximity to the South Pacific provide for eclectic cuisine, of which Chinese and Croatian proved to be my family's favorite while we were there. However, I don't have recipes for salt and pepper shrimp or Cevapcici (Croatian sausage), but for two traditional dishes that will having me waxing nostalgic about my childhood.
LAMINGTON
For my birthday one year, my mom made me lamington shaped like a koala bear, so let's just say lamington and I have a history. But upon my triumphant return to the homeland, I have to say, I was ruefully disappointed. The sponge cake was dry and stale, the chocolate icing thin and sugary, and the coconut--oh god. Anyway, the experience galvanized me to make my own. Mine's not the traditional shape--a perfect cube with four sides rubbed in chocolate icing and coconut served with cream and jam on the side--but more like a traditional Victoria Sponge, with the cream and jam in the center. Served this way with a drizzle of the chocolate sauce and cream on top it makes a wonderful afternoon tea cake or a light-as-air dessert. Enjoy!
Ingredients:For icing and filling:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 cup finely grated, dried coconut
1/3 cup strawberry jam
1/3 cup raspberry jam
For Sponge Cake:
4 eggs, room temperature and separated
1 cup baker's sugar (superfine)
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
Turn the oven on 350 F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and two tablespoons of the baking sugar. Cream the egg yolks and remaining baking sugar until light, fluffy, and tripled in volume on medium speed (about 6 minutes). Add the hot water and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Switch the mixer to low, and add about a 1/2 cup of the flour mixture at a time, until fully incorporated. Turn the mixer off, and gently fold in the egg whites. Be extremely careful, as this is what makes the cake rise. Pour the batter into a greased 8 inch round cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out dry.
While the cake cools, melt the chocolate 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla, and separately heat 3/4 cup of the heavy cream and the milk until small bubbles form on the sides. Add the heated milk and cream to the chocolate and stir until combined. It will be very thin. Beat the remaining cream, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable. In a separate bowl, mix the two jams together.
Once the cake has cooled, shave the cake with a very sharp paring knife. Which is to say, thinly slice off the very outside layer of the cake to reveal the sponginess underneath. Do this all over: top, sides, and bottom. Then, cut the cake perfectly in half. This is most easily done by marking the halfway mark with toothpicks around the cake, to guide as you slice. Some people use unflavored dental floss to cut through the cake, but I just used a a long serrated knife (like a bread knife).
Spread one side thickly with the whipped cream (there will be some left over) and the other side with the jam. Sandwich the cake together, and place on a cooling rack set over a baking pan (to catch the chocolate and coconut as you finish off the cake). Pour some chocolate over the cake, and using a small spatula, spread the chocolate to cover the entire top of the cake. Then, using your spatula (and if you're me, your fingers), paint the sides of the cake with chocolate as well. Cover in coconut by sprinkling the top and pressing coconut into the sides. Be sure to do this quickly, before the chocolate dries. Then, on a cake stand (or serving plate) pour some chocolate in a circle so that when you place the cake, the bottom will soak it up. Carefully move the cake to the stand. Slice and serve with a drizzle of the remaining chocolate and whipped cream. Enjoy!
SAUSAGE ROLL
They sell these in every Australian bakery next to the meat pies and pasties. Starving after the 18 hour flight, my sister and I gorged through the flakey pastry crust and then hyperventilated out hot air as we tried to chew the sausage, which was piping hot from the oven. The heat didn't stop me. Happily satiated, I rubbed my burnt, sand paper-y tongue against the roof of my mouth and contemplated when I would get a chance to make these delightful rolls when I got home. I think my mom and I shared one everyday.
Sausage rolls are ridiculously easy to make. They're essentially uncased sausage wrapped in pastry dough and baked for 20-25 minutes. Children love them ( I know I did) and they make tasty snacks for dipping in ketchup. Enjoy!
Makes 4 dozen bite-size rolls
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground pork
1 yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 sheets of puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
Pre heat oven to 400 F. Mix together the pork, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, and bread crumbs until well combined. Unfold the pastry sheet and roll it out an extra inch both in width and length. Cut the pastry sheet into three strips. Roll out the sausage mixture into three long 1 inch thick snakes. Put each one onto its own pastry sheet. Beat an egg in a separate bowl, and with a brush, wash one side of the pastry sheet. Roll the un-egg-washed side over the sausage and seal it to the egg-washed side, pressing down. Take a fork and press down on the sealed edge, crimping it. It looks pretty, and holds it all together. Do this for all of the pastry sheets. Cut the rolls into desired size (my mom does 1 1/2 inch wide bites). Then, with the fork, prick holes on top of the cut up rolls, so the sausage can release steam as it cooks. Set the rolls on a baking pan (i put it on top of a silicon sheet) and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. When done, cool for 5 minutes (they are hot!) and serve with ketchup, mustard, or whatever you like. Enjoy!
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