Savoiardi, Saviata or Shavolette Cookie Recipe

[JohnB in Staten Island]

I’ve been looking for quite a while for a recipe for these cookies, which are carried in a number of Italian bakeries in Brooklyn & the rest of New York City and in New Jersey. They are delicious!!!

Bakeries sometimes use the names interchangeably and some carry both, but there are two distinct kinds of cookies. One is a standard ladyfinger, which is sometimes used in desserts like tierra misu cakes and are sometimes sold in packages. I do NOT want a recipe for these.

The one that I am looking for is flatter, more spongy, with a hint of vanilla (or almond?) and has a pale white crust or glaze on them.

I’ve seen a lot of posts on the web where someone sends up the ladyfinger kind. The one that I am looking for looks like these photos:

http://www.freewebs.com/johnbil/cookiepix/cookies.html

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks...JohnB

[Molly53]

JohnB in Staten Island wrote:
I’ve been looking for quite a while for a recipe for these cookies, which are carried in a number of Italian bakeries in Brooklyn & the rest of New York City and in New Jersey. They are delicious!!!

Bakeries sometimes use the names interchangeably and some carry both, but there are two distinct kinds of cookies. One is a standard ladyfinger, which is sometimes used in desserts like tierra misu cakes and are sometimes sold in packages. I do NOT want a recipe for these.

The one that I am looking for is flatter, more spongy, with a hint of vanilla (or almond?) and has a pale white crust or glaze on them.

I’ve seen a lot of posts on the web where someone sends up the ladyfinger kind. The one that I am looking for looks like these photos:

http://www.freewebs.com/johnbil/cookiepix/cookies.html

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks...JohnB

Click on the links and see if any of these will work for you:
Iced Italian Cookies (formed into whatever shape you wish)
Grandma Roses Italian Genettis 1946
Italian Amaretti Biscuits (Cookies)
Savoiardi (Italian Ladyfingers)
Langue De Chat (Cat's Tongue)
Lenguas De Gato (Cat's Tongue)

[pinky kookie]

Are those cookies something like these:

BISCOTTINI - ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES RECIPE -
http://www.cookingwithnonna.com/index.php/Italia/biscottini.html

[peachez]

This is an older thread, hope it helps
http://www.food.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=349552&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Kim D.]

You might be looking for Ricotta Cookies. They have a vanilla flavor, are cracked on top, a little spongy (or soft), and can be iced with powdered sugar/milk glaze. They have become a favorite in my house.
.

[JohnB in Staten Island]

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate the thoughts, but I was looking for the cookies shown on the link that I sent.

[Mogilevchanka]

I hope it is not too late, I have been looking for the same cookie recipe for a while now. I used to live in Brooklyn and took for granted all the amazing italina bakeries and little family-owned stores with fresh food. Now, that I live in Indiana, I just can't those things here Can't wait to get back! For now I have been trying to recreate some of my favorites from NYC and I found this recipe. I did not make them yet. Also, look for baking ammonia in Polish stores or ask people in Italian bakery to sell you some (worked for me once), or you can buy it online.

http://thedailyeater.com/2012/08/savoiardi-cookies.html

[PaulO in MA]

Savoiardi

Savoy Biscuits (Large Lady Fingers)
Piemonte

1 egg yolk
4 whole eggs
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ cups cake flour

Beat the 5 egg yolks and sugar till light and creamy. In another bowl beat the 4 whites till stiff. Slowly add flour, continuing to beat till well blended and fluffy. Fold into yolks and sugar. Drop batter onto cooky sheet lined with waxed paper, forming lady fingers ¾ inch wide and 4 ½ inches long, 2 inches apart. Dust top of each with granulated sugar. Bake in 375 to 400° oven 8 to 10 minutes, until light brown.

LaSasso, Wilma Reiva. The All-Italian Cookbook. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1958.

[PaulO in MA]

Another one ...

Savoiardi (Lady Fingers)

3 egg yolks
3/8 cup sugar
3/8 cup pastry flour
Dash of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 egg whites
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Beat egg yolks and sugar together until yellow and foamy. Add flour and salt and mix until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat egg whites until firm and fold into egg yolk mixture and thoroughly blend.

Butter baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet and shape into fingers 3 inches in length. Mix together confectioners’ and granulated sugars and sprinkle half the combination over fingers. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining half of sugar, let stand 5 minutes and bake in moderate oven (375 °F) 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from pan and cool on cake rack. Makes about 24 lady fingers.

Boni, Ada. The Talisman Italian Cook Book. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1973.

[Teressina]

Hi John,
I'm with you! I have been looking to duplicate my grandmother's savoiardi for years, and I can't get it right. It has to be flaky on top withOUT adding an icing to them!!! They also do NOT have any ricotta or any other cheese in them. The ingredients are very simple - I'm not sure what causes the shiny flaky tops. They are light in color, a little spongy on the inside. OMG, I can just taste them. Have you found a good recipe yet?

[Dee514]

What makes the shiny, flaky tops is lightly sprinkling the cookies with extra fine, powdered sugar (not confectioner's sugar which has cornstarch added to it). Letting the sugar absorb into the surface of the cookie for at least an hour before baking. (The sugar absorbs some of the moisture from the cookie dough, forming that sweet, shiny, flaky crust while it bakes.)