Lady Finger Fancy!

♥ Beginner

Lady Fingers are the base for MANY great dessert dishes, including tortes.  I am planning on making a torte later on today, and didn't want to waste my hard earned $$ on a package or two of expensive lady fingers (especially when I already have all of the ingredients on hand at home). Okay, okay, it's really the thought of getting my almost-two year old in the car and traveling to the grocery store during nap time. No thanks! So I figured I would whip up a few batches and get them ready for my torte later on.

These little beauties only take about 30 minutes to make, even though it seems like there are a lot of steps.  Don't judge mine based on the photo, I left them in the oven 45 seconds too long and browned the edges a little more than I would have liked.  Your patience actually determines the shape and size of these fingers, and as you could tell I was just in a hurry to get them done.  There is a pan you can buy that shapes them for you, but I don't really see much sense in that since more than likely you'll be covering them with a custard or something else tasty. If you are interested, here's where you can get one.

What you'll need:

• 4 Egg Whites, Large
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 4 Egg Yolks, Large
• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

How it's done:

1. Preheat your oven to 400*F, and butter your cookie sheet.  (You can use parchment paper, but I'm a fan of butter or shortening because they add a moisture to the bottom of the cookie)

2. Beat your egg whites to soft peaks, and add 2 Tablespoons of sugar.  Beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Move the egg whites to a separate bowl (I liked using my glass measuring cup).

3. Mix the remaining sugar with egg yolks until thick and almost colorless.  Remove bowl from mixer, and gently fold in HALF of the egg white mixture.

4. Sift flour and baking powder into the mixture, and gently fold in.  Once completely mixed up, fold in the second half of the egg whites.

5. Put the mixture into a piping bag with a 1/2 in. tip. and pipe onto the cookie sheets. I suggest 2 inches long, but they can be as long as you would like.

6. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.  Let cool before removing.

Enjoy!!!