Recipe: Lady fingers

Lady fingers are a noted classic.  They might be used in a tiramisu or an English trifle - or they can be enjoyed on their own as a light cookie with coffee or tea.  Either way, there's generally a huge difference between a store-bought product and one you made yourself.  They aren't that hard at all, so if you have the time, I highly recommend making your own.

You will need:

3                          eggs
125ml / 1/2C       sugar
2.5ml / 1/2tsp      vanilla
160ml / 2/3C       cake flour (all purpose will work if necessary)
as needed            icing sugar
as needed            pan spray

Method:

 - set the oven to 325F / 163C
 - separate the eggs
 - in a mixer, whip the whites on medium speed to a medium peak
 - meanwhile, whisk the yolks in another bowl with a quarter of the sugar until thick and pale
 - add the vanilla to the yolks, whisk again and set aside
 - sprinkle the rest of the sugar into the whites and whisk to a medium firm peak
 - fold in the yolks
 - sift the flour into the mix in 3 stages and fold in
 - load into a piping bag with a plain round tip (or no tip in a plastic disposable bag)
 - spray a cooking sheet lined with a silicone mat or paper with pan spray
 - pipe the "fingers"
 - sift icing sugar liberally over the fingers
 - bake for 12 - 15 minutes until the tops are slightly crisp and golden