Recipe: How to Make Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)

Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)
Source: 1,000 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone

These crisp, light cookies, called Savoiardi, are named for the royal house of Savoy that ruled the region of Piedmont from the fifteenth century and all of Italy from 1861 up until World War II. They are perfect tea cookies and are excellent with ice cream or fruit, but they can also be used in composed desserts like tiramisi.

Potato starch is used to make the cookies crisp and light. You can find potato starch in many supermarkets, or you can substitute cornstarch.

4 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup potato starch
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 large baking sheets.

Separate the eggs. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the vanilla until thick and pale yellow, about 7 minutes.

In a large clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on low speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the egg whites hold soft peaks when the beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks to lighten them. Gradually fold in the remaining whites.

Place the flour and starch in a small fine-mesh strainer, Shake the strainer over the eggs and fold in the dry ingredients gently but thoroughly.

Scoop the batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip or into a heavy-duty plastic hag with a corner cut off, (Do not fill the hag more than halfway.) Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets, forming 3x1-inch logs about 1 inch apart.

Have several wire cooling racks ready. Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden brown and feel firm when touched lightly in the center.

Transfer the baking sheets to the cooling racks, Cool the cookies 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to the racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Makes 4 dozen