Sponge Fingers Recipes

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.

SPONGE FINGERS

Steps:

• Set the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Line 2 large bakng sheets with silicone baking paper. Draw parallel lines 12.5cm/5 inches apart on the paper.
• Separate 5 of the eggs. beat the yolks with the whole egg and 110g of the caster sugar in a large bowl until they are nearly white.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gradually whisk in the remaining caster sugar. Fold the egg whites into the egg-yolk and sugar mixture. Carefully fold in the sifted flour and arrowroot.
• Fit a 5mm plain nozzle into a piping bag and fill the bag with the mixture. Pipe 12.5cm fingers between the parallel lines on the baking paper. the fingers should be just touching.
• Place in the top of the oven for about 10 minutes or until the sponge has risen and is biscuit-coloured.
• Remove them from the oven, invert on to a clean tea towel and immediately and carefully peel off the paper. Turn the sponge fingers on to a wire rack to cool.

WONDERFUL ALMOND FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together unsalted butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into the sugar mixture until smoothly blended. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch round tip. A large freezer storage bag with one of the corners snipped off will also work.
• Pipe dough into 2 inch long logs using a side to side squiggle motion. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart. Place cookie sheets with cookies into the freezer for a couple of minutes to harden.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• In the microwave or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. Dip both ends of the cooled cookies into the chocolate and place them onto waxed paper to set.