Definition of Bliss: Complete happiness, Paradise, Heaven
You definitely will be after enjoying one of these.
Lamingtons? Never heard of them? Don’t worry, neither had I. There is apparently nothing as Australian as a lamington which is typically eaten on Australia Day (26. January). Traditionally they are little rectangular sponge cakes rolled into melted chocolate and coated in desiccated coconut. They even have their own National Day on 21 July!
A more modern and healthy way to enjoy this Aussie classic is as a bliss ball. This recipe is from the Simply Vegan Magazine which I bought last year whilst in the UK. And yes, I have only now got around to looking through the recipes. But I was travelling a lot last year so that counts as an excuse I suppose. This recipe made 15 bliss balls as I used an ice-cream scoop which is a little more than a tablespoon as set out in the original recipe (which makes 18).
Ingredients
for the Bliss Balls
160 g macadamia nuts (*
180 g desiccated coconut
80 ml maple syrup
60 ml coconut oil
for the filing
40 g raspberry jam (**
for the coating
150 g dark chocolate (melted and cooled)
100 g desiccated coconut
Notes
(* I used 75 g macadamia nuts and 85 g blanched almonds
(** Feel free to use your favourite jam, I used strawberry.
Preparation
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Make sure it fits into your freezer or fridge.
Add all the ingredients for the Bliss Balls into your food processor and blend until smooth.
Take about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time – I used my ice-cream scoop – and roll it into balls. Place them onto the baking tray.
Taking one ball at a time flatten it out in the palm of your hand. I used my palm first to gently flatten the ball and then I cupped my hand slightly and flattened the mixture out carefully with my fingers. Size approx. 5 cm diameter.
Blob ½ tsp of the jam into the middle and then gently close the circle around the jam so that nothing oozes out.
Carefully re-roll into a ball. Refrigerate (or freeze) for about 30 minutes. I popped mine into the freezer.
Place the desiccated coconut into a bowl which is a little bigger than the bliss balls.
Dip each ball into the cool melted chocolate and allow any excess chocolate to drip off. I used a small fork to rest the bliss balls on. Gently place the bliss ball into the dessicated coconut and using a teaspoon spoon the coconut over and around the ball. You can then gently roll the ball from side to side to add more coconut. Place finished bliss balls onto the baking tray.
Put them into the fridge to set. After about 1 hour you can transfer them to an airtight container.
The original recipe states that the bliss balls will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and a couple of months in the freezer. They lasted about three days. Haha.