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The Great Australian Lamington

The Great Australian Lamington
Lord Lamington Governor of Queensland - creator of the world-famous Australian Lamington.

The Humble Australian Lamington - Created in Queensland in 1901


Australian Lamington
THE WORLD-FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN CULINARY ICON NAMED AFTER THE GOVERNOR OF QUEENSLAND - LORD LAMINGTON.

The world-famous Australian lamington is over a century old.

Despite some dubious claims from New Zealand, the lamington is as Australian as meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars, ranking alongside the other true Australian icons of the pavlova, peach melba and Vegemite.

This Australian culinary icon, which consists of sponge cake dipped in chocolate and liberally sprinkled with fine desiccated coconut, was created through an accident at work by a maid-servant to Lord Lamington, the thoroughly-British eighth Governor of Queensland.

The maid-servant was working at Government House in Brisbane when she accidentally dropped the Governor's favourite sponge cake into some melted chocolate.

Lord Lamington was not a person of wasteful habits and suggested that it be dipped in coconut to cover the chocolate to avoid messy fingers.

Paul Tully celebrates
the 100th anniversary
of the world renowned
Australian lamington
on 19 December 2001
Lord Lamington devoured this new taste sensation with great delight and the maid-servant's error was proclaimed a magnificent success by all! The Governor however is on the record as calling them "those bloody poofy woolly biscuits".

Lord Lamington was born in London, England on 29 July 1860 as Charles Wallace Alexander Napier COCHRANE-BAILLIE holding the aristocratic title of Baron Lamington.

He was Governor of Queensland from 9 April 1896 to 19 December 1901.

After leaving Queensland, he went on to become the Governor of Bombay in India for 4 years. He died at Lamington House, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1940.

According to Hansard page 728 at the Australian Constitutional Convention in Canberra on 11 February 1998, Cr Paul Tully, an elected delegate representing "Queenslanders for a Republic" suggested that his extensive research of the Governors of the 6 Australian colonies and states had produced evidence of only "one, single, solitary, positive achievement of any Governor since the First Fleet arrived in 1788" and that was Lord Lamington's contribution to the culinary delights of the Australian nation!

Lord Lamington served Queensland for 5 years but despite all of his colonial, aristocratic pomp and ceremony, the only thing which Charles Wallace Alexander Napier COCHRANE-BAILLIE will ever be remembered for in Australia is the creation of the world-famous lamington.

PAUL TULLY'S TRUE-BLUE DELICIOUS AUSSIE LAMINGTON RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup self-raising flour 1/2 cup milk.

Beat the eggs well, gradually adding the sugar until dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla essence and then stir in the self raising flour and whip the butter into the mixture. Pour the mixture into a cake tin or lamington baking dish and bake in a moderate oven of 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes and then stand for 24 hours preferably in the refrigerator, before applying the icing.

THE CHOCOLATE ICING
4 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons boiling water
3 cups desiccated coconut.

Stir the cocoa and icing sugar vigorously in a large bowl, adding the milk, butter and boiling water, warming the chocolate mixture over a very low heat until it has a smooth creamy texture. Cut the sponge cake into equal squares about 5cm x 5cm and, using a fork or thin skewer, dip each piece into the chocolate mixture ensuring that the mixture is liberally and evenly applied. Dip each piece into the desiccated coconut, allowing the lamingtons to cool on a wire tray for several hours.

THEN SIT BACK, RELAX AND SAVOUR THE DELIGHTS OF YESTERYEAR COURTESY OF LORD LAMINGTON'S ABSENT-MINDED MAID-SERVANT!

THANK GOD, THE LAMINGTON WAS NOT CHRISTENED THE "COCHRANE-BAILLIE". IMAGINE ASKING FOR A "COCHRANE-BAILLIE" IN A CAKE SHOP!
© Paul Tully 2009


Do you have an interesting historical anecdote about the Australian lamington?
Please email the Australian Lamington Official Website.




Lamington pikelets take the cake across Australia

Lamington pikelets take the cake!
Bizarre Aussie offering includes Lamington pikelets.

But it gets even more bizarre.

How would you like a pizza with Milo, Caramello Koalas and Tim Tams for a special dessert?

Or what about a Vegemite and cheese pizza option - a true mix between Aussie and Italian cuisine.

Read on for a true Australian gastronomic experience:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/stonnington-eateries-trial-pizzas-with-milo-caramello-koalas-tim-tams-and-more-for-australia-day/news-story/caf2004ba95b3d1ac1ff0366c1935b5f

Donna Hay's u-beaut lamington recipe

It doesn't get better or more Australian than this.

Lamingtons are Australia's national culinary icon and Donna Hay's recipe for these traditional morsels will set you on the road to success.

https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/lamingtons

Brisbane's New Farm serving up the best of Lamington and Golden Gaytime flavours



Mylk + Ko owner Ines Scholtes
Pic: Emily Jane Davies
Born in Chile to a Belgian father and a half-Indian mother, Ines Scholtes has been influenced by a mixture of cultures. Ultimately though, it’s her Belgian side that dominates her approach to cuisine.

“That’s where I get a lot of my inspiration from.” Scholtes says. “Especially sweets, I have a massive sweet tooth.”

So massive that Scholtes has now foregone a career in law to pursue her passion for food, last week opening Mylk + Ko.

Mylk + Ko has evolved from Scholtes’ Instagram, which she started in 2015. Her account was dedicated to the decadent but wholesome sweets she would create, which were often vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free.

In its first year, the account reached more than 20,000 followers. “I started [Instagram] to try and gauge a response from people to see if this idea was viable,” Scholtes says. “And also when I did start [a business], I would already have a following and customer base.”

Shifting into Vespa Pizza’s old premises on Merthyr Road, the wooden floorboards and most of the walls remain intact, but everything else has been refurbished, including expanding the kitchen. Charcoal, wood and white features decorate the space, with a smattering of green breaking up the monochromatic tone.

The current menu features an elaborate selection of acai bowls including the “Lamington” and the “Golden Gaytime”, as well as a number of smoothies, super “mylkshakes”, cold-pressed juices and CocoWhip, all made to order. Allpress coffee and Mayde Teas are also on offer.

Once these dishes, shakes and juices are perfected, a hot menu will come on stream. Expect dishes such as red-velvet waffles and lemon-meringue pancakes.

Mylk + Ko

1/148 Merthyr Road, New Farm

Hours: Mon to Sun 6.30am-3.00pm

mylkko.com.au

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/brisbane/food-and-drink/mylk-ko-opens-new-farm