Ladyfingers
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 36 cookies
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 36 servings
- Calories
- 57
- Total Fat
- 1
- Saturated Fat
- 0
- Carbohydrates
- 10
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 8
- Protein
- 1
- Cholesterol
- 32
- Sodium
- 28
- Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 35 min
- Cook: 25 min
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for the baking sheets
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the baking sheets
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions
- Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 325. Generously grease 2 baking sheets with butter (about 2 tablespoons) and dust with flour; tap off the excess flour.
- Measure out the flour and put in a fine-mesh strainer set in a bowl. Beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until thick and pale, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Transfer the egg yolk mixture to a large bowl. Clean out the mixer and dry.
- Put the egg whites and salt in the mixer; beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed, adding the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until combined, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and stiff, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add one-third of the egg white mixture to the yolk mixture, then sift about one-third of the flour over the eggs. Gently fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Repeat 2 more times, folding in one-third each of the egg white mixture and flour each time. (Do not overmix or the batter will deflate.) Put the confectioners' sugar in the mesh strainer.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 3-inch ladyfingers onto the prepared baking sheets, about 11/2 inches apart. Dust the ladyfingers with some of the confectioners' sugar to coat and set aside until the sugar starts to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Dust with another coating of confectioners' sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the cooking time. Remove the ladyfingers with a spatula and transfer to a rack to cool.