Ingredients:
250 g butter, softened
440 g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
4 eggs
600 g self-raising flour
375 mls milk
200 g dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache)
100 mls thickened cream (for ganache)
750 g icing sugar
75 g cocoa powder
40 g butter, melted (for icing)
250 mls boiling water
300 g desiccated coconut
Steps:
Prep the tins: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 20cm x 30cm slab tins.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat 250 grams butter, softened, 440 grams caster sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla essence until pale and fluffy. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Make the batter: Fold in 600 grams self-raising flour and 375 milliliters milk in alternating batches until just combined. Divide evenly between the two tins.
Bake the sponges: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. (32m 30s 32:30)
Make the ganache: Heat 100 milliliters thickened cream (for ganache) until just steaming, pour over 200 grams dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache) and leave for a couple of minutes, then stir until glossy. Let it cool until thick and spreadable.
Sandwich the layers: Trim the domed tops so the sponges sit flat. Spread the ganache over one sponge and lay the second on top. Chill or freeze for 30 minutes 30:00 so it cuts cleanly.
Cut the squares: Trim the edges and cut into 12 big squares.
Make the icing: Sift 750 grams icing sugar and 75 grams cocoa powder into a heatproof bowl. Stir in 40 grams butter, melted (for icing) and 250 milliliters boiling water until smooth and runny. Sit the bowl over a pot of hot water to keep it loose while you dip.
Dip and roll: Put 300 grams desiccated coconut in a shallow dish. Using two forks, dip each square into the icing, let the excess drip off, then roll it in coconut. Set on a rack until firm.
Notes: Chilling the sandwiched cake before cutting keeps the ganache from smearing and the sponge from crumbling into the icing. If the icing thickens while you dip, stir in a splash more boiling water.
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