Best Dark Chocolate Ladyfingers Recipes

CHOCOLATE LADYFINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sift the cake flour and cocoa powder together in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip until foamy with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Make a French meringue by adding the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. When you whip egg whites, add the sugar slowly to allow the whites to gain some volume. When you have volume, add the rest of the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip to stiff but not dry peaks, about 5 minutes. When the whites are slightly stiff, reduce the mixer speed to low to allow even more air to be incorporated without over whipping the egg whites. Let the egg whites continue to whip for about another 2 minutes. Stop whipping them if they begin to look dry or separated.
• Very gently, fold the egg yolks into the whipped egg whites with a rubber spatula until they are partially incorporated. Carefully fold the sifted mixture into the egg mixture. It is important to fold as gently as possible to avoid deflating the batter. Remember to fold all the way to the bottom of the bowl to fully incorporate both mixtures.
• Place the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip. To pipe the ladyfingers, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment paper as you start to pipe. Squeeze gently, applying even pressure as you pipe the desired length, then stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the end of each ladyfinger. Pipe evenly shaped ladyfingers about 3/4-inch wide on a parchment paper-covered sheet pan. Space them about 1/2-inch apart to allow them room to spread as they bake. Dust the tops of the ladyfingers with powdered sugar to give them a nice crust.
• Bake the ladyfingers until light and evenly browned, about 5 minutes. (The browning may be difficult to discern with the chocolate ladyfingers.) Remove from the oven and immediately move to a wire rack to prevent the heat of the pan from continuing to bake the ladyfingers. Set aside until ready to use. When cooled, the ladyfingers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks.

LADYFINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment. Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube.
• Place egg whites in bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. In another bowl beat egg yolks and remaining sugar. Whip until thick and very pale in color.
• Sift flour and baking powder together on a sheet of wax paper. Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites. Transfer mixture to pastry bag and pipe out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.

LADYFINGERS

Steps:

• Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 325. Generously grease 2 baking sheets with butter (about 2 tablespoons) and dust with flour; tap off the excess flour.
• Measure out the flour and put in a fine-mesh strainer set in a bowl. Beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until thick and pale, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Transfer the egg yolk mixture to a large bowl. Clean out the mixer and dry.
• Put the egg whites and salt in the mixer; beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed, adding the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until combined, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and stiff, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add one-third of the egg white mixture to the yolk mixture, then sift about one-third of the flour over the eggs. Gently fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Repeat 2 more times, folding in one-third each of the egg white mixture and flour each time. (Do not overmix or the batter will deflate.) Put the confectioners' sugar in the mesh strainer.
• Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 3-inch ladyfingers onto the prepared baking sheets, about 11/2 inches apart. Dust the ladyfingers with some of the confectioners' sugar to coat and set aside until the sugar starts to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Dust with another coating of confectioners' sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the cooking time. Remove the ladyfingers with a spatula and transfer to a rack to cool.