I remember when I blogged about the Lemon Canadian Crown with the misshapen ladyfingers, and I said if I ever made them again, I should have my head examined. Well, I tried them again, and I actually think that my head is in pretty good shape.
Would you believe me if I said I made these chocolate ladyfingers?
I thought not. This picture is courtesy of Dana Bellefeuille, a blog reader who took pity on my woeful attempt, and showed me how they make them at the resort she works at. The pictures she sent, and her narrative accompaniment, helped me quite a bit.
Would you believe me if I said I made these?
Yes, you probably would, because, although they look considerably better than my first attempt, they still don't look professional. The main reason they look better is that I bought the appropriate piping tip. As in so many things, having the proper equipment is key. You'd think I would have figured that out before now.
This is the biggest tip they had at the kitchen equipment store. It's about three times the diameter of the tip I used before. I can't tell you how much easier it was to use the recommended piping tip. As I keep saying to myself (although it doesn't seem to take), following directions is usually a good thing.
From Dana, Hector, and Rose's video, I learned that the template for the ladyfingers should go the length of the pan, not the width. Through Rose's video, I learned that you can put dabs of ladyfinger batter under the four corners of the parchment paper, which will make the parchment stay in place. Rose also tells you to turn the paper over because you wouldn't want to get pencil marks on your ladyfingers. Having traces of graphite on my ladyfingers was the least of my worries, but I turned the paper over anyway because I didn't want to seem like I didn't care about culinary hygiene.
Presto! Eight minutes in the oven and reasonable facsimiles of ladyfingers emerge from the oven. And, better yet, I'm all set for next week's cheesecake. In fact, I have so many ladyfingers, I might have to make two.
21 comments:
Congrats Marie! Those ladyfingers are beautiful. The look super professional!
So are you going to freeze them for next week?
Jenn,
Thanks! Yes, they're already wrapped snugly and tucked in the freezer.
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Fantastic! I'll admit to chickening out on the lady fingers for the upcoming cheese cake.
With 3 cups! of sour cream, you may need to make 2 cakes anyway. :)
Mendy,
Three cups!?!! I'll aedmit I haven't looked at the recipe that closely, but three cups for one cheesecake? Wow.
Beautiful ladyfingers! I think I'm going to try to make them again next week now that I have the right tip as well.
Great Job!! I never made lady fingers because they seem so intimidating but you have inspired me. Yours turned out beautiful!!
Wow, they're gorgeous! This is quite inspirational. I may make Lady Fingers yet!
You make awesome lady fingers like THAT and you want ME to be your piping teacher? I think our roles have just reversed :o) Super great job!!!
Ah, the Binford piping tip; that's all you needed. They look great.
congratulations marie! your ladyfingers look perfect. i can't wait to see them all pretty on the sides of next week's cake.
Andrea,
Even though I got all in a snit about people who claimed the ladyfingers were easy, they were actually pretty easy, and kind of fun, with the right piping tip.
Vicki,
Yes! (You know that's Hector's mission in life--to make sure that everyone makes ladyfingers--so you might as well give up now).
Hanaa,
Aw. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.
Lois,
It sure didn't hurt!
ECL,
I'm working on the cheesecake right now--to take to a potluck tomorrow. Unbelievable how much easier it is to do the sides of the cheesecake when the ladyfingers stick together. I couldn't figure out why that was so important before. Duh.
Marie.. you go girl! I think you and I are conquering the pastry bag and kicking butt. Look at those beauties! And you are totally right, the equipment is the key... I think I need to go and treat myself to a bigger tip, and since it's my birthday today - Tom cannot tell me no! yeah!
I will post my creation later on today or tomorrow, I taking a break today to eat, accept presents and basically not do a thing.
Those look pretty darn perfect to me.
If you find yourself short of sweets, and you need something elegant, and quick ladyfingers split and filled with melted apricot jam and some melted bittersweet chocolate are pretty useful. I mean, if you didn't have something like 50 cakes sitting in your freezer.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
Monica,
Happy birthday! And on your birthday you're allowed to do whatever you want and buy whatever you want. It's an old family tradition.
Goody,
Thanks for the tip--it sounds delicious. There are never too many ideas for quick, elegant desserts.
i agree, these lady fingers look so professional! I can't tell the difference between the chocolate ones and the non-chocolate ones if you didn't mention it..yours looks just like the chocolate ones! Your piping is awesome and you said you weren't good! It's great imo! :D
Dear Marie, I can die now! looks perfect! Your two accounts on ladyfinger making is the best teaching manual that I know of! So glad arthritis had nothing to do with the misphap :)
Faithy,
You can't tell the difference because you're the nicest person on earth.
Hector,
So glad, but please don't.
A thing of beauty and a joy to behold! Bravo.
Merry Christmas sweet friend! x
Marie,
Fabulous lady fingers! The right equipment rocks!
Merry Christmas Marie!
Melinda and Oriana,
Merry Christmas to both of you, my dear internet friends and Lazy Baker buddies!
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