Homemade Ladyfingers
MAKES
about 48 cookies
TAKES
Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Making your own ladyfingers can make for an especially delicious tiramisu. These cookies are soft and spongy after baking - to use in tiramisu, they are actually often allowed to stale intentionally, so they can soak up as much liquid as possible. If you want to skip making your own, you can always use store-bought ladyfingers, but this recipe will make enough for a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm pan of tiramisu.
INGREDIENTS
180 g / 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
14 g / 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 g / ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
128 g / 6 large egg yolks
198 g / 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
7 g / 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
213 g / 6 large egg whites
> 1 g / ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
powdered sugar, as needed for finishing
Bake This Recipe with Me:
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C with oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. If desired, draw lines to create guides on the parchment. Make one line close to the edge of the paper, then measure 4-inch / 10-cm, and draw a second line. Repeat this process on the other side of the baking sheet. The ladyfingers can be piped between the lines to ensure they’re the same length. Turn the paper over on the baking sheet so that the ink will not make contact with the batter.
3. Fit a pastry bag with a ½ inch / 1 cm wide round pastry tip (or, you can skip the tip and later simply cut a ½ inch / 1 cm opening from the end of the bag). In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt to combine. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), combine the egg yolks, 99 g / ½ cup granulated sugar, and vanilla. Whip on medium-high speed until they reach ribbon stage: they should be pale in color and noticeably thickened, 3-4 minutes. When you dip the whip into the mixture and lift it out, it should fall back into the bowl in thick ribbons. Set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until slightly foamy, then gradually add the remaining 99 g / ½ cup sugar and gradually raise the speed to medium-high. Continue to whip the meringue until the mixture forms stiff peaks, 5-7 minutes - it should be shiny and thick, not clumpy or dry.
6. Add about ⅓ of the egg whites into the egg yolks, and whisk gently to combine. This can be done slightly more vigorously at this stage, as mixing the two will help to lighten the yolk mixture and make it easier to add the remaining ingredients.
7. Add the remaining egg whites to the bowl in 2 more additions, gently folding each addition together with a silicone spatula just until uniformly combined.
8. Sift the dry ingredients over the bowl, and use a silicone spatula to gently fold them in until they are evenly incorporated. Take care to mix well to avoid pockets of flour, but remember that over-mixing can deflate the batter.
9. Transfer the batter to the prepared pastry bag. Pipe the batter into 4 inch / 10 cm lines on the prepared baking sheets, using the guides to help keep the cookies even in size, and leaving at least 1 ½ inch / 4 cm of space between each cookie, as they will spread slightly.
10. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake until the cookies become lightly golden brown, 16-20 minutes. The ladyfingers should spring back slightly when touched in the center with your finger. For most even baking, gently rotate the baking sheets between racks halfway through baking.
11. When the ladyfingers come out of the oven, sift powdered sugar over the surface of the cookies, and let them cool completely.
12. To use the ladyfingers for tiramisu, transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to sit at room temperature for 24 hours to help them stale slightly. To enjoy as cookies, serve immediately - or transfer the cooled ladyfingers to an airtight container or storage bag. They will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months - thaw at room temperature before using.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
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