Ladyfingers, or in British English sponge fingers (sometimes known by the Italian name or by the French name ) also known in the

Haredi Jewish Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

community as baby fingers (due to concerns of

modesty Modesty, sometimes known as demureness, is a mode of dress and deportment which intends to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others. The word "modesty" comes from the Latin word ''wikt:modestus, modestus'' which means "keeping within ...

), are low-density, dry, egg-based, sweet sponge cake biscuits roughly shaped like large fingers. They are a principal ingredient in many dessert recipes, such as trifles and charlottes, and are also used as fruit or chocolate gateau linings, and sometimes for the sponge element of tiramisu. They are typically soaked in a sugar syrup or

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

, or in coffee or espresso for tiramisu. Plain ladyfingers are commonly given to infants, being soft enough for teething mouths, but easy to grasp and firm enough not to fall apart.

History

Ladyfingers originated in the late 15th century at the court of the

Duchy of Savoy The Duchy of Savoy ( it, Ducato di Savoia; french: Duché de Savoie) was a country in Western Europe that existed from 1416. It was created when Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, raised the County of Savoy into a duchy for Amadeus VIII. The duc ...

, and were created to mark the occasion of a visit by the King of France. Later, they were given the name ''savoiardi'' and recognized as an "official" court biscuit. They were particularly appreciated by the younger members of the court and offered to visitors as an example of the local cuisine.

Name

They have gained many regional names: * In Argentina: * In Australia: sponge fingers * In Austria: * In Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia: /, / * In Brazil: (champagne biscuits) * In Bulgaria: ''bishkoti'' () * In Canada: ladyfingers * In Chile: (champagne biscuits) * In China: (, finger biscuits) * In Colombia: (tongues, after their form) * In Cuba: * In the Czech Republic: (long sponge biscuits) or (confectioner's biscuits) * In El Salvador: ''suspiros'' * In Finland: ''tiramisukeksit'' (tiramisù biscuits), ''savoiardikeksit'' (savoiardi biscuits), and ''sokerikakkukeksit'' (sugar cake biscuits) * In France: or (spoon cookies/biscuits) or * In Germany: (spoon cookies/biscuits) * In Greece: (, a French adaptation of the Italian name) * In Guatemala: * In Hungary: (baby sponge cake) * In Indonesia: (cat's tongue cookies) * In Iran: ''latifeh'' () * In Israel: () * In Italy: * In North Macedonia: ''biskviti'' () * In Mexico: (little soles) * In Flanders and the Netherlands: (long fingers) * In Pakistan: ''bistiks'' ( بسٹیکس) * In the Philippines: or (Spanish for some more nutritive types of bread, sometimes misspelled as ''brojas''); variants include ''

camachile ''Pithecellobium dulce'', commonly known as Manila tamarind, Madras thorn, monkeypod tree or camachile, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the Pacific Coast and adjacent highlands of Mexico, Central A ...

'' and '' lengua de gato'' * In Poland: (cats' little tongues) or Biszkopty (Polski)
Carrefour. Poland. (sponge cakes/biscuits) * In Portugal: (champagne biscuits) or * In Romania: * In Russia: (, lady's fingers) * In Slovakia: ( Konditor's biscuits) * In Slovenia: ("baby cookies") * In South Africa: sold as boudoir biscuits, but best known as finger biscuits * In Spain: (little sole biscuits) * In Taiwan: (fingers-cookie) * In Turkey: (cat's tongue) * In the United Kingdom: sponge fingers,

boudoir A boudoir (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk ...

biscuits, baby biscuits,

funeral biscuit Funeral biscuits were a type of biscuit traditionally served at funerals in England, Wales, Scotland, and North America. ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' described funeral biscuits in 1790. The writer described them as "a kind of sugared biscuit, whic ...

s, savoy biscuits, or boudoir fingers * In the United States: ladyfingers * In Uruguay and Venezuela: (insoles) *In Vietnam: bánh sâm banh (Champagne)

Preparation

Like other sponge cakes, ladyfingers traditionally contain no chemical leavening agent, and rely on air incorporated into the eggs for their "sponge" texture. Some brands, though, contain ammonium bicarbonate. The

egg white Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms arou ...

s and

egg yolk Among animals which produce eggs, the yolk (; also known as the vitellus) is the nutrient-bearing portion of the egg whose primary function is to supply food for the development of the embryo. Some types of egg contain no yolk, for example bec ...

s mixed with sugar are typically beaten separately and folded together with flour. They contain more flour than the typical sponge cake. The mixture is piped through a pastry bag in short lines onto sheets, giving the biscuits their notable shape. Before baking, powdered sugar is usually sifted over the top to give a soft crust. The finished ladyfingers are usually layered into a dessert such as tiramisu or trifle.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ladyfinger (Biscuit) Biscuits Cakes Italian pastries