Ladyfingers are sweet sponge biscuits with the shape of an over-sized finger. Like a genoise sponge cake, ladyfingers are made without a leavening agent. They are made from whisked egg whites and the result is a light and airy biscuit that may be a little dry. Ladyfingers make a tasty snack that can be served with tea or coffee and they have the right texture for teething toddlers. The most popular use for ladyfingers is using them as a key ingredient in Charlotte cake, tiramisu, trifles, and chocolate as well as fruit gateau. Ladyfingers are normally soaked in coffee, liqueur, or sugar syrup in order to soften and give them flavour before adding the other ingredients. If you have run out of ladyfingers there are other alternatives you can use in their place especially when making tiramisu.
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Sponge Cake
One of your best alternatives to ladyfingers in tiramisu are sponge cakes. The cheap sponge cakes sold in most bakery sections of the supermarket may look a bit different from a ladyfinger biscuit, but they are made from almost the same ingredients. To replace ladyfingers with a sponge cake use a pound of sponge for every pound of ladyfingers in your recipe. Before you can use your sponge cake in any desert slice the cake into strips and leave it uncovered on a wire rack for a few hours or preferably overnight. This way, your sponge cake will dry out, making it suitable for absorbing liquid in your next dessert or other recipe. In order to speed up the drying process you can cook the sponge on a very low oven temperature for half an hour or until it becomes dry.
Biscotti
Another good alternative for ladyfingers in tiramisu is biscotti, or cantucci. Biscotti is a sweet and crunchy Italian biscuit that is sold in a wide range of flavours. If you are also looking to replace ladyfingers as a snack with your coffee, then a biscotti is a closer match than any cake you can find. It is important to note that these biscuits are twice-cooked and that makes them dry in texture and perfect for replacing ladyfingers in tiramisu or trifle. They can also be used in similar quantities as the original ingredient. If your recipe calls for dipping them in liquid you can skip that step and instead give them a good soaking. Also take note that your biscotti must soften up, otherwise they will become too crispy for your dessert. You will usually find the biscotti cookies in a lot of supermarkets but if you cannot find them you can use Amaretti biscuits which also do well as a substitute in tiramisu.
Pound Cake
A pound cake can also be used as a good substitute for ladyfingers in tiramisu. Just like a sponge cake, you can use the same amount of cake as you would use ladyfingers in your recipe. Ensure that you dry the cake out overnight in order to improve your recipe. Take note that even after drying out a pound cake, it will still carry some moisture. Do not dunk the cake in liquid, it is much easier to brush it initially and then pour more liquid over your cake once it has been added to the dish. Dunking your cake into bowls of liquid, will make it fall apart. You can use a pound cake as a substitute for ladyfingers in many recipes apart from tiramisu.
Also on our list of good alternatives for ladyfingers in tiramisu is Margherite cookies. These cookies, although a great substitute are a little difficult to find in groceries stores. If you have access to them then use them in place of ladyfingers for desserts as a snack in addition to tiramisu. Margherite cookies have a similarly sweet, mild vanilla taste and also have a similar shape to that of ladyfingers. In addition, these cookies have a heavier, less airy texture than the American version of ladyfingers but they can make a great alternative. If you allow your finished dessert to sit in the refrigerator overnight you may find that the Margherite cookies become a lot closer to the texture of ladyfingers.
You can consider using pavesini cookies in place of ladyfingers in tiramisu. However, these can be a bit difficult to find, unless you stay in Italy or have an Italian grocer nearby. These cookies are a variation of the Italian savoiardi (ladyfingers), but they are flatter and less airy. Like so many other options on the list, they will be great in your recipe if you leave them out overnight to dry. The texture of these cookies may differ from ladyfingers when removed from the packet but once they are added to a moist dessert and left overnight, the difference will not be noticeable.
Panettone
Another Italian bread, panettone can also make a great substitute for ladyfingers in tiramisu. This Italian holiday bread is a delicious soft flaky type of sweet bread. It may be far removed from ladyfingers but you can use the bread in place of ladyfingers in a lot of recipes. Keep in mind that it is still possible to put the cakey bread to use in moisture-laden desserts. Simply pre-cut reasonably sized pieces and bake them on a very low heat until they feel dry. You can also use panettone as a delicious snack apart from an ingredient in your tiramisu recipe.
Bake Your Own Ladyfingers
The last option to replace ladyfingers for your tiramisu recipe would be to make your own. This is your best option if you have the extra time and all the ingredients at hand. You will need eggs, a cup of granulated sugar, some baking powder and a cup of all purpose flour. It will take an hour or less to prepare the ingredients and bake your ladyfingers. If you do not have that much extra time you can easily make use of any of the other alternatives mentioned above for your tiramisu meal.