Sticky Date Pudding – baked or steamed

Sticky Date Pudding is a favourite in our house. I usually bake it.  I’ve  just tried steaming it.  It’s delicious either way!  The cake is moist yet not too sweet. The more sauce the pudding absorbs, the richer, sweeter and stickier it becomes. It freezes really well (I gladwrap individual portions of the unsauced cake  and freeze the sauce separately).  Also, the sauce is great on sliced bananas or ice cream.
I’d been exploring different ways of cooking Sticky Date “Pudd” during the Daring Bakers Challenge for April 2010 (see  Steamed Steak and Kidney Pudding).
Choose:

• baking
• steaming in a saucepan
• steaming in a steamer saucepan

Sticky Date Pudding

• 180g dates, pitted
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 50g  butter  (salted or unsalted), softened
• 150g soft brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 130g self raising flour, sifted
• 50g wholemeal flour
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Butterscotch Sauce

• 150g soft brown sugar, or dark brown sugar
• 250ml full pouring cream (no added gelatine) (I use 35% fat)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1tbl unsalted butter

Almond Praline

• 1/2 cup sugar or caster sugar
• 2 tbl water
• 1/4 cup almonds, slivered

Mixture
Roughly chop dates. Stir dates and bicarbonate of soda together well so the dates are coated.

Pour on boiling water. Stand and leave to cool.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time and beat in.
Sift flours and cream of tartar and then add bran back in.

Gently fold in the flour and the cooled date mixture. Pour into prepared baking dish/pudding basin/darioles/ramekins.

Some mixture in a pudding basin ready for steaming.


Sauce
Combine sugar, cream, vanilla and butter in saucepan. Bring to the boil while stirring and simmer 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
Almond praline
If you wish, very lightly toast or dry roast the slivered almonds. Then scatter almonds onto a baking paper-lined oven tray or even better, a greased marble slab.  Combine sugar  and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy based small saucepan (the smaller its diameter the better) over medium heat and cook caramel without stirring. Instead, swirl contents (ie. cook 5-10 seconds – swirl, cook 5-10 seconds – swirl), until deep golden. Pour over the almonds and cool until set. Break praline into pieces.
If Baking:
Heat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan-forced).
For a large square dish - Lightly butter a 20cm (8”) square tin or ovenproof dish and put a square of baking paper at the base for easy removal. Pour in mixture.  If you are not using a fan-forced oven, adjust the oven rack to the lower half of the oven so the top of the pudding will be in the centre of the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes. If it is starting to get too dark on top cover with foil until done. Test for doneness with skewer – only crumbs should adhere. Cut into squares and place in centre of warm dinner plate.  Pierce holes with a toothpick or skewer. Pour  toffee sauce over each (reserving some) and place back in oven for 5 minutes, or else microwave  for 1 minute, or else simply pour hot sauce over pudding, and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
For darioles and ramekins - Lightly butter individual dariole moulds, or ramekins and put a circle of baking paper in the base for easy removal. Fold a kitchen towel and place it in the bottom of a large heavy baking dish (for water bath). This cuts down on splashing and keeps the ramekins from sliding around quite so much. Fill  darioles or ramekins to no more than 2/3 with mixture and place  into baking dish.  Put the dish on the oven rack inside the oven and only then carefully pour warm water around the sides of the moulds until it comes up 1/3 of the side of the moulds. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until golden and testing with skewer comes out clean. Without removing water bath from oven, carefully remove darioles or ramekins individually from oven. Unmould and place on warm dinner plate. Pierce holes with a toothpick or skewer. Pour toffee sauce over each (reserving some) and place back in oven for 5 minutes, or else microwave for 1 minute, or else simply pour hot sauce over pudding, and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
If Steaming in a Saucepan:
(Steaming in a saucepan is not suitable for darioles or ramekins). Lightly butter a metal or china pudding basin and put a circle of baking paper at the base for easy removal.  Fill with mixture to no more than 2/3. Cut a circle of baking paper and a circle of aluminium foil 4 cm (1 1/2”) wider in diameter than the basin. Tie up with string as pictured. If there is a lid use that too.
It helps to put something  inside the large saucepan and  underneath the pudding, such as:

• a collapsible metal steamer basket
• a folded up cloth
• an upturned plate
• a round cake cooling rack
• a cake tin lid
• a metal simmer mat with the prongs pointing downwards (one of these):

Put one of the items from the above list in the large saucepan. Cover with some water and bring to the boil. Also, boil a kettle in readiness. Put filled pudding basin into the saucepan and adjust (from the kettle) the level of boiling water so that it reaches half way up the sides of the pudding. Cover the saucepan with a lid. Bring to a rolling boil.  Adjust heat so that you can hear large bubbles breaking, but it is not so hot or full that the pudding is being lifted too fiercely or floating. Keep topping up with boiling water from the kettle (check every 20 mins or so).  A 500ml or 1 pint pudding took 1  and 1/4 hours  – or 2-3 hours for a 1.5 litre or 3 pint basin.  Steaming is very forgiving and there is a large time frame before it overcooks.  The only failures I have had are when I didn’t have the water hot enough to hear the large bubbles breaking, as I described earlier, or if the water was too high and leaked into the mixture!  Test for doneness with a skewer – only crumbs should adhere.

Unmould and place on warm dinner plate. Pierce holes with a toothpick or skewer. Pour toffee sauce over (reserving some) and place  in hot oven for 5 minutes, or else microwave for 1 minute, or else simply pour hot sauce over pudding, and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Serve in slices.
If Steaming in a Steamer Saucepan:
Lightly butter  pudding basin, dariole moulds, or ramekins and put a circle of baking paper in the base).
Fill with mixture to no more than 2/3.  Cover with a circle of baking paper and then a circle of foil 4cm (1 1/2“) wider than the diameter. Tie twice around with kitchen string  and/or a rubber band.

Pour water into base of pan and steam as you would vegetables or as per manufacturer’s instructions.  Check water every so often and add more when needed. The darioles took me 45 mins.  A 500ml or 1 pint pudding took 1  and 1/4 hours  – or 2-3 hours for a 1.5 litre or 3 pint basin. Test for doneness with a skewer – only crumbs should adhere.

Unmould and place on warm dinner plate. Pierce holes with a toothpick or skewer. Pour toffee sauce over (reserving some) and place in hot oven for 5 minutes, or else microwave for 1 minute, or else simply pour hot sauce over pudding, and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Serve with extra sauce (warmed) and cream.

Technorati Tags: sticky date pudding,steamed,steaming,butterscotch sauce,steamer saucepan

Orange Tian - Daring Bakers Challenge March 2010

Orange Tian sauce is especially delicious – only two ingredients. I sometimes forget how much I really love sugar cooked until it turns into toffee, how simple it is, and orange juice added to it and then cooked down to intensify the flavour is just divine. I could just eat the sauce with ice cream.

I loved the flavours of this month’s Daring Baker’s challenge.  The dessert itself is a layer of pate sablee at the base, then a layer of orange marmalade, then some stabilised whipped cream with some marmalade stirred through, then orange segments which have been soaked in caramel atop.

I tried two types of moulds for the tian – darioles and circle cookie cutters with high sides (my set of cookie cutters are in graduated sizes – so only one of each size). Even though I liked the height of the dariole tian (above) I think the circle cookie cutters worked the best. This is because you could press down and and compact the cream and expel the excess juice down through the bottom. They were also easier to unmould and the finished product looked neater. What do you think was the best shape?  I guess  for for a number of cookie cutter shapes I could just use tin cans with both ends cut off leaving non sharp edges, or else some lengths of pvc pipe?

I put some homemade mixed peel that I already had on the plate also. Recipe further on.

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

For the Pate Sablee:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature
granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon; 2.8 oz; 80 grams
vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon; 2 grams
All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons; 7 oz; 200 grams
baking powder 1 teaspoon ; 4 grams

Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
1 large orange used to make orange slices
cold water to cook the orange slices
pectin 5 grams (in Australia you can use JamSetta, in the UK 'Certo Pectin' . Or, use the seeds which are rich in pectin - just boil them with the marmalade. Or, pectin is optional – marmalade can turn out fine without it)
granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.

Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar . If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:

For this step you will need 8 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.

[See YouTube video in the References section below for additional information on segmenting oranges.]

For the Caramel:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
granulated sugar 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons; 14 oz; 400 grams

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
heavy whipping cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
1 tsp Gelatine
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
orange marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.
[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:

Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.

and here is the recipe for mixed peel:

Mixed peel

Recipe by: Lynn Cole

• Serves: 12
• Yield: 250 g
• Ready in: 7 days 4 hours (7 days Prep - 2 hours Cook )

Make your own sugared orange and lemon peel for baking. No commercial mixed peel ever tasted so good. Its a process spread over a week but each step is relatively quick. Keep your mixed peel in a wooden or cardboard box lined with nonstick baking paper. Mould may form in an airtight container.

Recipe provided by:

Readers Digest | Like Grandma used to make

Ingredients

• 4 large lemons, well washed, or 4 medium oranges, well washed
• 5 cups cold water
• 3 1/2 cups sugar

Preparation method

1. Cut the fruit in quarters and remove the flesh. Weigh the peel – there should be about 250 g. Put the peel in a large, stainless-steel or enamel saucepan, add the water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour, or until the peel is very tender.
2. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and put the drained peel in a bowl. Pour the water into a saucepan and add 2 1/2 cups of the sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely, then bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour over the peel, cover and leave to stand for 24 hours.
3. Day 2: Strain the syrup into a saucepan and add the remaining sugar. Stir over low heat until dissolved, bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour back over the peel, cover and leave for 24 hours.
4. Day 3: Pour the peel and syrup into a heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the pith is transparent. Return to the bowl, cover and leave for four days.
5. Day 7: Drain the peel, place on a wire rack and leave in a dry, warm place for several days, or until no longer sticky.

Baking uses

Use this peel in your Christmas baking or any time mixed peel is called for in a recipe.

copyright mandarinelemon 2010

Tiramisu – Daring Bakers Challenge February 2010

Tiramisu is a classic dessert which I admit I had up to now never made or eaten. Why? Tiramisu is after all simply made from some layers of only a few simple ingredients and is on the dessert menu of every second restaurant – and I love the novelty of trying new foods; it was because there seemed to be so many passionate opinions about what is a true tiramisu it just turned me off and did my head in! If that makes sense.

Thank you to the Daring Bakers for having helped me over this hump. I followed their recipe without any variation as I was such a complete novice. Thanks to them also was the bonus discovery that mascarpone made at home is easy, luscious and far cheaper than the supermarket version – who knew? For my mascarpone I used a thin Indian stainless steel bowl from the discount store that fitted snugly into one of my saucepans for the duty of a double boiler/bain-marie. I’ll always be making my own mascarpone from now on.

 

I loved making the Savoiardi /Ladyfinger biscuits also. I had to make extra batches because they’re so nice when they’re fresh and my family loved them.

Now I’m no longer a novice at Tiramisu, next time I’m going to be a devil and make the raw egg version!

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

RECIPE SOURCE:

Mascarpone Cheese – Vera’s Recipe (Baking Obsession) for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese.
Savoiardi/ Ladyfinger Biscuits – Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar,

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

copyright mandarinelemon 2010