W
hen I imagine how a lady’s hand should look like, what comes to my mind is an image of a thin, silky smooth hand and elegant, elongated digits with manicured, buffed fingernails. And maybe, jut maybe, some discrete jewelry, if any. Now, who, in God’s name, could find any resemblance between the image I have just described and soft sponge cake cookies that got exactly the same name, is beyond me!
Savoiardi however, is a name for the same oblong shaped sponge cake, and it originated from the House of Savoy, a royal family in which this simple dessert was supposedly invented. The recipe was allegedly spread throughout Europe by the marriages of the many daughters of Bertha of Savoy, Queen consort of Germany. In France, these spongy sweet treats are called biscuits à la cuillère (spoon biscuits), because bakers used two spoons to spread the batter from the center before baking.
Do these delicate sponge cake biscuits resemble lady fingers or not, is debatable, however, their softness and lightness is unquestionable!
If you have never made lady fingers before, and you have tasted the store bought ones, you will probably ask what softness I am talking about! And you will be right! The store bought Savoiardi are dried and biscotti-like. And when you make them at home, you will end up with lovely sweet soft sponge cake biscuits, perfect for dipping in your favorite tea, or if you are more ambitious, ideal for making tiramisu or a charlotte!
Lady Fingers Recipe
by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra
PRINT PDF (EN) ISPIŠI PDF (HR)Prep. time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 12 minutes
Ready in 27 minutes
Level : Basic
Ingredients:- Egg yolks 90g (3.2oz or egg yolks from 4 medium eggs)
- Egg whites 135g (4.8oz or egg whites from 5 medium eggs)
- Sugar 120g (4.2oz)
- All purpose flour 150g (5.3oz)
- Powdered sugar as needed
- Line one large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare one piping bag with round 10mm (3⁄8“) tip.
- Sift the flour into a bowl.
- Make French meringue out of egg whites and the sugar. Whisk the egg whites, and when they form soft peaks, gradually add sugar. Continue whisking until you get firm peaks.
- Add yolks into the French meringue and mix them with a silicone spatula.
- Fold in sifted flour. Make sure you don’t overmix the batter.
- Fill the piping bag with the batter and pipe 10cm (4″) long strips.
- Sprinkle lady fingers with powdered sugar.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes, until nicely golden.
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