Christmas lamingtons

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Butter and line the base of a 25cm x 25cm, 7cm-deep baking tin. Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on a medium speed for 6-8 mins or until thick. Sift together the flour, cornflour and ½ tsp of salt. Gently fold into the wet mixture, followed by the melted butter, vinegar and 200ml of just-boiled water. Pour into the tray and bake for 30-35 mins or until golden and springy to the touch.

• step 2

  Make the icing by warming the sugar, milk and buttermilk in a medium pan over a low heat, occasionally stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Using a sugar thermometer, cool to 40C. Put the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using the sugar thermometer, melt to 40C, then gradually mix into the buttermilk with a whisk until well emulsified.

• step 3

  To make the ganache, bring the cream and glucose just to the boil in a small pan. Put the chocolate in a bowl and pour over the cream. Using a hand blender, blend until completely emulsified. Gradually add the butter, again mixing until fully incorporated. Chill in the fridge until firm.

• step 4

  When you’re ready to assemble, trim any uneven edges from the sponge and carefully cut into 20 cubes. Use an apple corer to make a hole in the top of each cube, going three-quarters of the way down. Gently warm the white chocolate icing until liquid and dip in the sponge cubes, covering all sides, placing on a cooling rack for the excess to drip off. Dip the icing-covered sponges into the coconut to coat. Mix the cherry jam with the yuzu. Put a little of the jam into each hole in the lamingtons. Whip the ganache until it’s at piping consistency and pipe a little to cover each hole. Sprinkle over the festive sprinkles or crushed berries to decorate.