Baking essentials · Crumbs & crackers
Ladyfingers
Light, dry, finger-shaped sponge biscuits that soak up liquid; essential for tiramisu and charlottes.
Also called: savoiardi, sponge fingers, boudoir biscuits
Around the world: savoiardi (it) · biscuits à la cuillère (fr)
Photo: Priwo, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)
What it is
Ladyfingers (savoiardi) are piped strips of airy egg-white sponge batter dusted with sugar and baked until crisp and dry. Their porous texture drinks up coffee, liqueur or fruit juice quickly while still holding shape. Soft-style sponge fingers are moister and absorb less. They contain egg and wheat.
How it’s used
- Tiramisu dipped in espresso
- Charlotte russe and charlotte moulds
- Trifles
- Served with dessert wine or custard
Characteristics
Storage
Pantry-stable. Sealed in a dry cupboard.
Diet, allergens and safety
Contains Wheat, Gluten, Eggs. May contain Milk — check the label.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free (check label)
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
- Contains wheat, gluten and egg; may contain milk.
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 363 kcal
- Protein
- 10.6 g
- Carbohydrate
- 59.7 g
- Fat
- 9.1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugars
- — g
USDA FoodData Central: Cookies, ladyfingers, without lemon juice and rind.
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Stale sponge cake — Sliced into fingers and dried in a low oven; absorbs more, so dip briefly.
Related ingredients
Recipes with ladyfingers
Tiramisu
Italian · 6 h 45 min · 405 kcal · Contains egg