Description
Delicate homemade ladyfingers with a crisp, sugary exterior and soft, spongy interior. Perfect as-is with a cup of tea or coffee, but even better in tiramisu!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons (14 grams) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting the cookies
- 4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup plus 1 heaping tablespoon (100 grams) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Place the oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar and the 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar in a small mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Add the egg whites and pinch of salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whip the egg whites on high speed until very soft peaks form (mixture should slowly fall over on itself and lose its shape when whisk is raised), about 45 seconds. Lower the mixer speed to medium, and slowly add the sugar mixture. Once the sugar is added, raise the speed to high and whip until stiff, shiny peaks form, about 30 to 45 seconds. Gently place the whites in a large mixing bowl.
- Change the mixer to the paddle attachment and combine the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extracts and remaining 1/4 cup (49 grams) granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Pour the yolk mixture on top of the whipped egg whites. Sift the flour over top. Very gently fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula until combined and no egg whites are visible.
- Assemble a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 to 1-inch wide plain tip. Add half of the batter to the bag. Pipe into 3 x 1-inch strips, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Repeat until all of the batter is used. Generously dust with confectioners’ sugar. Bake until the cookies are a light golden color and crisp on the outside, about 20 to 23 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Inspiration: Ladyfingers from The Perfect Cookie by America’s Test Kitchen
- Category: Cookies