Ladyfingers Recipe

Tiramisu literally translates to “pick me up” which refers to the boost the tasty dessert can provide. This Italian invented dessert is layered with Savoiardi (ladyfingers) cookies, mascarpone cream, and strong coffee. It’s an Italian delight because the eggs are beaten to a custard cream that will make you go in for seconds! 

Ladyfingers are piped into strips using a piping bag and a large round piping tip. Once baked they resemble the shape of a large finger and make their way into trifles, Mouse Cups, Charlotte Cake, gateau cakes, and mainly tiramisu. You’ll find them as sponge fingers in British, a Savoiardi biscotti in Italian, boudoirs in French, and baby fingers in the Jewish community.

I mainly use these flour-based cookies in my tiramisu recipe layered between mascarpone cream and covered with a layer of chocolate cocoa powder. The outcome is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Ladyfingers can be found in some grocery stores like Walmart, in the cookie or Foreign aisle under the Italian title “Savoiardi Biscotti.”

They are typically hard and very dry coming from the store. Whereas homemade ladyfingers are soft cookies. To make crispier sponge cookies at home, simply bake longer and they will turn out more crisp. Commercial bakeries seem to dust additional sugar on the top for a crackly crisp shell. 

The ingredient list for ladyfingers is very short and simple. You only need eggs, sugar, and some flour to make a quick sponge cake batter! 

• Eggs- are beaten separately for a light and delicate cookie. 
• Granulated Sugar- sweetens and binds the sponge batter together. 
• Unbleached White Flour- or an all-purpose flour works great for ladyfingers. Pastries are best with low-gluten flour although any Unbromated flour will work fine. 
• Salt- flavors, and balances out the sweet cookies.
• Baking Powder- a leavening to make a lighter cookie. 

Mascarpone is the Italian version of cream cheese. It is a spreadable smooth cheese very similar to Neufchâtel cheese. Since soft cheeses like these are made from light cream they result in a creamy whipped texture, rich in flavor. 

Preparation involves coagulated cream that is heated and mixed with a starter. It then sets undisturbed for 12 hours. The curd then gets transferred to a butter muslin to drain in the refrigerator for hours. It can store for weeks if the cream was pasteurized properly. 

Ladyfingers are prepared similar to a sponge cake as they soak up all the coffee flavors easily. 

1. Separate the eggs and beat the whites first until stiff peaks form. Add the salt and sugar and continue beating until glossy and thick like a meringue. 
2. Next, beat the yolks until paler in color (for 5 minutes) and fold into the beaten whites. 
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder and gently fold into the egg batter. 
4. Transfer into a large piping bag and pipe out 3-inch strips onto a lined sheet pan. 
5. Bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 10 minutes. 

Baker’s Note: for crispier cookies bake 3-5 minutes longer. Place piping bag standing upright in a tall drinking glass to easier fill.

Ladyfingers can be eaten alongside a glass of milk or dipped into espresso and cappuccino. They are very popular in the Italian dessert Tiramisu.

• Dip them into coffee like a Biscotti cookie! 
• Crumble them into Mouse Cups as a crust for additional texture. 
• Border your cheesecake with ladyfingers to make an eyecatching dessert like a Charlotte Cake!
• Layer them into a Trifle dish for a classic Tiramisu. 

Ladyfingers can keep up to 2 days at room temperature. If you are not planning to use them either dry them out in the oven to prolong the shelf-life like croutons or freeze them soft. 

For Crunchy Lady Fingers: bake them at 275°F for 30-50 minutes instead. To speed it up, bake them as directed in the recipe box and then reduce the oven to 200°F and continue to bake until golden. 

Soft Lady Fingers: keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. 

Note: once the ladyfingers have been covered in cream refrigerate immediately.