Raspberry Jam and Cream Lamingtons

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (155 °C fan). Line the base and sides of a 10×10 cm tin at least 7 cm deep with baking paper, and melt the butter in a small bowl, keeping it warm. Génoise rises high, so a deep tin matters.

2. Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of barely simmering water on low heat (the bowl must not touch the water). Whisk for 2 min until the mixture feels warm like bath water (about 40 °C). Take it off the pan and beat with an electric mixer on high for 7 min. It is ready when it has tripled in volume, turned pale cream and the ribbon that falls from the beaters holds its shape for 3 seconds. Beat on low for the final minute to even out the bubbles.

   Add in this stepEggs, at room temperature 2Caster sugar (for the cake) 60 gVanilla extract ½ tsp

   low heat

3. Sift the flour and cornflour together and fold them in, in two additions, with a spatula, lifting gently from the bottom of the bowl so the foam doesn't collapse. Stir 2 tablespoons of the batter into the warm melted butter, then fold this back into the bowl in the same way, quickly. Butter added straight in sinks and knocks out the air. Pour into the tin and level the top.

   Add in this stepPlain flour (or cake flour) 40 gCornflour (cornstarch) 20 gButter, melted (for the cake) 15 g

4. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 25 min, until golden, springy when pressed in the centre, and a skewer comes out clean. Drop the tin once from 10 cm onto the bench to release the steam; it shrinks less that way. Cool completely on a rack, then wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 h.

   oven

5. While the cake cools, make the jam. Put the raspberries, jam sugar and lemon juice in a small 14 cm saucepan and boil over medium heat for 7 min, stirring, until thick: a drop on a cold plate should wrinkle when you push it with a finger. Tip into a bowl to cool. Then toast half the coconut in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 3 min, stirring constantly, until pale golden and nutty, and mix it straight away with the rest of the coconut on a wide plate to cool. It burns quickly, so don't walk away.

   Add in this stepRaspberries (frozen are fine) 70 gSugar (for the jam) 35 gLemon juice 1 tspDesiccated coconut 80 g

   medium heat→medium-low heat

6. Trim the edges of the cold cake with a bread knife and cut it into 5 cm cubes; you will get 4 pieces. Bring 3 cm of water to a gentle simmer over low heat. Put the chocolate, icing butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over the pan and stir for 3 min until melted. Once smooth, sift in the icing sugar and cocoa and whisk to a glossy icing. It should thinly coat the back of a spoon and flow; if too thick, add boiling water a teaspoon at a time.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (55 to 70% cocoa), finely chopped 50 gButter (for the icing) 8 gMilk (for the icing) 50 mlIcing sugar (for the icing) 90 gUnsweetened cocoa powder 8 g

   low heat

7. Hold a cube on two forks, dip it in the icing and turn quickly to coat all sides, then hold it up for 2 to 3 seconds to drip. Put it straight into the coconut, spoon coconut over to cover every side and move it to a rack. Repeat with the rest and leave for 20 min for the icing to set.

8. Whip the cold cream with the icing sugar for 2 min to firm peaks and spoon it into a piping bag. With a bread knife, cut each lamington horizontally two thirds of the way through and open it like a book. Spread in a teaspoon of jam and pipe in a generous amount of cream. Serve straight away, or refrigerate and eat within 3 to 4 hours.

   Add in this stepThickened or double cream (35% fat or more), cold 60 mlIcing sugar (for the cream) 2 tsp