EASY HOMEMADE LADYFINGERS
Today we’ll prepare Ladyfingers together, classic cookies from Italian pastry.
These very famous little sweets are also known as Lady Fingers because their elongated shape resembles a lady’s fingers.
They have a caramelized crust and a crumbly yet sponge-like texture, which makes them perfect for many soaked desserts such as Tiramisu, Charlotte, and English Trifle.
They are also delicious simply at breakfast with coffee or a good tea, or to accompany ice cream or semifreddo.
As a child I loved them and my grandmother used to make them every time I visited her in the countryside.
As with every classic preparation there are different versions; the one we’ll make today is the original ladyfingers recipe taken from my family’s recipe notebook, handed down through generations.
It’s an easy preparation that doesn’t require special equipment; the secret is to whisk the mixture until it becomes frothy and compact.
Follow this recipe and you’ll get homemade ladyfingers that are soft, spongy, and with a crunchy surface crust that in taste, texture, and genuineness have nothing to envy from store-bought ones!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 40 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 339.46 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 65.76 (g) of which sugars 35.72 (g)
- Proteins 8.81 (g)
- Fat 5.78 (g) of which saturated 2.42 (g)of which unsaturated 3.18 (g)
- Fibers 0.60 (g)
- Sodium 53.33 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners')
- 1 3/8 cups all-purpose flour (00 flour)
- 4 egg whites egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
- 6-7 egg yolks egg yolks (about 6–7 egg yolks)
- 2/3 cup potato starch
- 2 tbsp honey
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- Beaters Moulinex HM3101 Quick Mix Electric Hand Mixer with Whisks and Dough Hooks
- Bowls 3 Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lid – Airtight – Stackable – Space-saving – For Salad, Pastry
- Spatulas Tescoma 638023 Space Line Crepe Spatula
- Piping Bags Disposable piping bags, PE plastic, 100 pieces, 15.75 x 9.06 x 0.00 in
Steps
Separate the yolks from the whites.
Using an electric mixer in a bowl, whip the yolks with the honey until they become pale and foamy and double in volume. It will take about 3–4 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whip all the sugar with the egg whites using the electric mixer until you obtain stiff, glossy egg whites.Add the whipped yolks to the stiff egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula from top to bottom so as not to deflate the mixture.
Sift together the flour and potato starch, then add them to the mixture in 2 or 3 additions, continuing to fold gently.Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip (10 mm) and pipe the ladyfingers onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Dust the ladyfingers with powdered sugar to cover their surface.Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 392°F for about 10 minutes.
As soon as they are lightly golden on the surface, remove them from the oven and let them cool. Keep in mind, however, that their typical coloration is fairly pale.
NOTES
For sweet preparations I always recommend weighing the eggs as well, because, unlike savory recipes, even 5 g can make a difference.
To obtain a perfectly whipped mixture, always use egg whites and yolks at room temperature.
Make them the size you prefer depending on the use: if you eat them as cookies, it’s better they are long and narrow; if you want to prepare a zuccotto or charlotte, I recommend making them wider.
Remember to dust the surface of the ladyfingers with powdered sugar only just before baking, otherwise the mixture will be ruined.
When freshly made they have a texture very similar to sponge cake; after 2–3 days they tend to harden, becoming lighter and crunchier.
