Homemade Ladyfingers for Tiramisu

• •2 piece Egg Yolks
• •10 Granulated Sugar (for egg yolks)
• •2 piece Egg Whites
• •35 Granulated Sugar (for egg whites)
• •50 g Low-Protein All-Purpose Flour (or cake flour)
• •10 g Cornstarch
• •0.5 tsp Baking Powder
• •to taste Powdered Sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have multiple sheets, prepare them all.

2. 2

   Separate the egg yolks from the whites. In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks with 10g of granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.

3. 3

   In a separate clean, large bowl, beat the egg whites. Gradually add the remaining 35g of granulated sugar while continuing to beat, until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks (they should hold their shape when the whisk is lifted).

4. 4

   Gently take about one-third of the beaten egg whites and add them to the egg yolk mixture. Fold them in carefully until just combined. This lightens the yolk mixture, making it easier to incorporate the rest of the whites.

5. 5

   Add the remaining egg whites to the yolk mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold them in using a 'J-fold' technique, scraping from the bottom and folding over, until just combined. Be careful not to deflate the mixture.

6. 6

   Sift together the low-protein all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder over the egg mixture in stages. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter with a spatula until no dry streaks remain, ensuring no pockets of flour are at the bottom of the bowl.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or simply snip off the corner of a sturdy Ziploc bag). Pipe uniform finger-shaped biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.

8. 8

   Dust the piped ladyfingers generously with powdered sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown and firm to the touch. The original recipe specifies 180°C.

9. 9

   Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, they are ready to be used in your Tiramisu or enjoyed as a light snack.

Chef's Tips

• 💡For sweeter ladyfingers, you can increase the granulated sugar by about 10g in the egg white mixture, or dust them more heavily with powdered sugar before baking.
• 💡Ensure your egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks and your folding technique is gentle to maintain the airy texture of the ladyfingers.
• 💡Using low-protein flour or cake flour helps create a tender crumb, which is ideal for ladyfingers.