Ladyfingers

Submitted by bmxmama

"This recipe was adopted in a whirlwind zaar adoption in September of 2006. I myself haven't made the recipe but as soon as I do I will update the description."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 4 1/2 dozen

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup cake flour, sifted (65 grams)
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided (25 grams)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (36 grams)
• powdered sugar, for dusting the tops of the cookies (icing or confectioners)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. To make the piping of the cookies easier, use a pencil and ruler to divide the parchment paper into three- 3 inch (7. 5 cm) rows, with about 1 inch (2. 54 cm) between rows.
3. Have ready a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1. 25 cm) round tip.
4. In your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons (25 grams) white sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick and pale yellow.
5. (When you raise the beaters the batter should fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.) Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Sift the cake flour over the batter but do not fold together.
7. In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy.
8. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.
9. Gradually add the 3 tablespoons (36 grams) white sugar and whip until stiff peaks form and the whites are glossy.
10. Fold the whites into the egg yolk and flour mixture in three additions, mixing only until incorporated.
11. Transfer the batter to the pastry bag and, holding the bag at about a 45 degree angle to the baking sheet, pipe the batter into 3 inch (7. 5 cm) long ladyfingers, using the lines drawn on the parchment paper as your guide.
12. Pipe the batter leaving about a 1 inch (2. 54 cm) space between the cookies.
13. When you have piped all the cookies, place the powdered sugar in a wire strainer, and lightly sift the sugar over the tops of the cookies.
14. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the ladyfingers are firm but barely browned and are still spongy when pressed with a finger.
15. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and slide the parchment paper from the baking sheets onto a wire rack.
16. Let the ladyfingers cool for a few minutes and release them from the parchment paper, with a flat spatula, while they are still warm.
17. If you left them completely cool before removing them from the parchment they stick and hard to remove without breaking.
18. Finish cooling the ladyfingers on the wire rack before using or storing.
19. If you are not using the ladyfingers right away, freeze them.
20. Ladyfingers stale very quickly unless they are soaked in a liquid.
21. To store, place in a plastic bag between layers of wax or parchment paper and freeze up to 2 weeks.
22. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen 3 inch (7. 5 cm) Ladyfingers.

Reviews

[BlessedByGrace]

Wonderful recipe! It was just what I was looking for. There is only one bakery in town that carries the soft ladyfingers and they were out of them. I needed ladyfingers to make a Chocolate Mousse Cake that a friend was paying me to make for a special occasion. With 3 hours before the cake was supposed to be picked up and no ladyfingers at the bakery, I immediately thought of Recipezaar and knew I could find a recipe on here. The recipe was simple and easy to follow. I also used sil-pat instead of the parchment. I laid a ruler beside the pan so I knew how long to make them. The ladyfingers were even better than the ones the bakery sales, and they looked just the same. Thank you so much for submitting this recipe and saving my day! Now I don't have to rely on the bakery!

 

[cbw8915]

Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I was assigned to make a tiramisu for a Mother/Daughter Banquet, but couldn't find ladyfingers in any store in my area. I was a little nervous about making my own, but these were very easy to put together. The only change I made was to use a silpat instead of parchment to line the pans. I will definitely be making these again! Thanks for posting, MC!