I guess it would have to be tiramisu.
Really? Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is something I have never really liked. I tend to be a fruit dessert person. I usually spend most of my time trying to recreate my favorites, but I think it is fun to surprise someone with a favorite food for almost no reason... v-day is just around the corner. Valentines Day seems sort of silly to me - St. Valentine died, I am not really sure how we went from bloody death to flowers and candies, but I love an in-the-kitchen challenge. So here is my first attempt at making lady fingers, the foundation of any tiramisu.
Trial run of lady fingers
2 tbsp millet flour
2 1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tbsp potato starch
1 tsp baking powder baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
pinch sea salt
2 eggs, separated
1/4 + 1/2tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
- Line one jellyroll baking sheets with either parchment paper or two silpats and set aside. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar to the ribbon and then stir in the vanilla. Beat the egg whites until stiff, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and whisk for about 30 seconds more, making sure the egg whites cast off a nice glossy sheen.
- In three separate batches, sprinkle the sifted dry ingredients over the egg whites and gently fold in. Repeat with the egg yolk mixture. Spoon your batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1” plain pastry tip.
- Pipe fingers that are about 4 ½ inches long. Dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar and bake for 20 minutes or until the ladyfingers are a pale copper color and firm on the outside and soft on the inside. (I didn't have any powdered sugar, so I skipped it)
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Makes 1 dozen ladyfingers.
My biggest worry is that they would become gummy once they were soaked in espresso, which is why I decreased the tapioca starch. They browned much faster than I expected, you can see that at 14 minutes they were over-done (but the oven has been on the fritz, so I am not sure what is to blame).
I test soaked one in coffee and it held up well and didn't get gummy, but I should have sifted the mixture because it was a little gritty. That or there is too much sugar and not all of it dissolved in the egg yolks. I really think they are too sweet, but maybe they need to be to contrast the marscarpone and espresso. I am going to make others eat them and tell me what they think.
I test soaked one in coffee and it held up well and didn't get gummy, but I should have sifted the mixture because it was a little gritty. That or there is too much sugar and not all of it dissolved in the egg yolks. I really think they are too sweet, but maybe they need to be to contrast the marscarpone and espresso. I am going to make others eat them and tell me what they think.
Verdict - too gritty. I think the sugar didn't completely dissolve in the egg yolks. They are also really eggy. Maybe more flours?
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