You will just love these light and sweet confections.
Have you ever tried to replicate a restaurant dish at home and discovered that even though it’s good, it’s never quite as good as the dish that inspired it? I had this problem with tiramisu, one of my all-time favorite desserts. My whipped cream came out fine, I had the dark, rich, espresso brewed, good-quality cocoa powder waiting to be dusted on top, but I could just never find a brand of ladyfingers that worked as well as the ones in the restaurant version. That is until this recipe for homemade ladyfingers. Now I am proud to say that I can make the exact version of these soft and crispy cookies myself.
Ladyfingers have been around for a very long time, so long that there are various stories about when the recipe first appeared and how the cookies were named. Legend has it that in the 14th century at the House of Savoy in Italy, these cookies – named savoiardi for the region – were made in honor of a visit from the King of France. While they are still called savoiardi in Italy today, the name ladyfingers seems to have appeared after they were introduced in America by the earliest French settlers.
A light, airy, sponge-like cookie with a crisp edge and soft interior, ladyfingers are a lovely and delicate cookie with a sweet, rich flavor, thanks to the sugar and vanilla. The powdered sugar baked on top gives the cookies a slight crunch, not to mention a beautiful sparkle. The store-bought versions, at least here in the States, are usually soft – like spongecake – and the savoiardi that are imported from Italy are generally drier and more crisp. But if you make them yourself with this simple recipe for ladyfingers, you can control their texture: if they’re too soft, you can dry them out in the oven.
Even though ladyfingers are necessary components of desserts like tiramisu, they are really delicious all by themselves. Well, maybe not all by themselves, since they are the perfect treat to go along with any kind of coffee drink, like Iced Cappuccino or a Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte.
Working with Egg Whites…
We have the ethereal whipped egg whites to thank for the ladyfingers’ airy texture. Here are some things to keep in mind so your egg whites whip up perfectly.
Separate your eggs about 10 minutes before you’re ready to whip the whites; although cold eggs are easier to separate, ones closer to room temp whip better. Next, make sure your bowl is pristinely clean: even the smallest drop of any sort of grease or fat, including yolk, will prevent the egg whites from reaching their stiff peak status. Start out by beating the egg whites slowly with your mixer on medium-low until the whites get frothy; then increase the speed to medium until soft peaks form. Then you can even increase the speed a bit more until you get the desired stiff peaks (you’ll know the egg whites are ready when you lift the beaters and the stiff peaks remain). Then, when you’re ready to combine your egg whites with the rest of the ingredients, be very gentle about the folding: this means taking a spatula and moving it in a sideways figure-eight motion to lightly incorporate everything together so your egg whites don’t deflate.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Powdered sugar for dusting
How to Make Ladyfingers
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks are achieved.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
Step 4: Carefully fold the yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites.
Step 5: Sift the flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture and gently fold until just combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
Step 6: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and pipe 3-inch long fingers onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart.
Step 7: Dust the piped ladyfingers with powdered sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and firm to the touch.
Step 8: Allow the ladyfingers to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Ladyfingers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or up to 2 months in the freezer
What If I Don’t Have a Piping Bag?
There are two things you can do if you don’t have a piping bag: one is to fill a Ziploc bag with your batter and then cut a small hole in the bottom to pipe out your ladyfingers. Another thing you can do is spread the entire batter onto the parchment paper, bake the ladyfingers like a cake, and then cut it into the finger shapes once it’s cooled.
Would Almond Extract Work in This Recipe Instead of Vanilla?
I’ve not tried this, but I don’t see why not. I think flavoring ladyfingers with almond extract would be delicious!
Serving Suggestions
While you will delight in having your own homemade ladyfingers to use when you make Tiramisu, they will probably inspire you to try making these Quick Tiramisu Trifles, too. Speaking of trifle, that layered English dessert made of ladyfingers (usually soaked in some kind of liquor), custard and fruit, you can use these ladyfingers to make your own version with Diplomat Cream and these luscious Roasted Summer Berries. And while we’re talking about desserts where homemade ladyfingers can have a starring role, see what happens when you substitute ladyfingers for the vanilla wafers in this extraordinary Banana Pudding.
Like any delicious cookie, ladyfingers are also the perfect accompaniment to other sweets, like Brown Sugar Ice Cream or this yummy Milk Chocolate Pudding. Or try them dipped in Blueberry Sauce or Caramel Sauce or this decadent Marshmallow Hot Fudge Sauce. So good!
Ladyfingers
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs separated
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks are achieved.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
- Carefully fold the yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites.
- Sift the flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture and gently fold until just combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and pipe 3-inch long fingers onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart.
- Dust the piped ladyfingers with powdered sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and firm to the touch.
- Allow the ladyfingers to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
I made these last night and this is the recipe I have been looking for. I have always used the packaged ones from the grocery store and was in a panic because they suddenly disappeared from the shelves last year. I use them with my grandmother’s Charlotte Russe recipe that is at least 70 years old. It is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert for my family. The flavor is just right and they have the perfect softness! The recipe and instructions were easy to follow. You don’t know how excited I am to have found your recipe. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your message Lyn, I am so happy now!
Sorry, forgot my rating
Thanks for reading and rating!