Italian Ladyfinger Biscuits Recipe

Italian ladyfinger biscuits, also known as Savoiardi biscuits, are classic Italian sponge cookies made with eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla extract. It is a no oil and no butter cookie but tastes so soft, light and perfectly sweet. These biscuits are popularly known as the base of the world famous tiramisu dessert.

Ladyfinger biscuits

Their soft texture makes them perfect for soaking up rich coffee and espresso flavours beautifully without falling apart. But they are also great to enjoy with tea or coffee for evening snacks. 

Jump to:

• What is Savoiardi?
• About Savoiardi (Ladyfinger Biscuits)
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Pictures
• Tiramisu Recipe
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Get Recipe

Since valentine's day is around the corner, I wanted to make homemade tiramisu from scratch. I made ladyfingers biscuits and mascarpone cheese the day before and assembled tiramisu the next day. It was perfect and I fell in love with it instantly.

What is Savoiardi?

Ladyfingers, or in British English sponge fingers (sometimes known by the Italian name savoiardi or by the French name boudoirs. They are dry, egg-based, sweet sponge cake biscuits roughly shaped like a large finger. One of the main ingredient in tiramisu making.

About Savoiardi (Ladyfinger Biscuits)

Savoiardi biscuits get their name from its finger-like shape and its airy texture. It is made without butter or oil, so their softness comes from the well whipped eggs which give the sponge-like texture. 

These Italian ladyfinger biscuits are quite expensive and not always easy to find in stores. So, I use regular biscuits or rusk as a substitute for making tiramisu at home.

But they never soak up the coffee flavours well or tend to fall apart. That's when I decided to try making ladyfinger biscuits at home. 

Similar Recipes

• Eggless Tiramisu Recipe
• Chocolate Tiramisu Recipe
• Biscuit Cake Recipe
• Butter Salt Biscuits Recipe
• Whole Wheat Biscuits Recipe

Initially, I was surprised by how the process is so easy and it just requires basic ingredients like eggs, flour and sugar. To be honest, I didn't get it right at the very first attempt.

After making a few attempts, I finally mastered the recipe. The key is whipping the eggs well and folding the batter gently, which makes the biscuits soft, airy and get slightly crispy on the outside. 

Once cooled, store these biscuits in an airtight container and use them whenever needed. These homemade savoiardi biscuits soak up coffee flavours better and make your dessert much more delicious and satisfying.

You can also use them in making other layered desserts like trifles, charlotte cakes or simply enjoy them with a hot cup of tea or coffee. 

My Thoughts on Homemade Savoiardi

The cookies which I baked turned out like a dry sponge. When I made tiramisu using this, I felt these cookies absorbed the coffee liquid perfectly and the end result of the tiramisu turned out to be so good. You can bake longer if you prefer the cookies more dry and crispy.

The cookies were little on the flatter side because I didn't use the speciality pan which is used to make this. If you can get your hands on the mould, you can pipe the batter in it.

Ingredients

• Eggs : Eggs are the main ingredient in making these Italian biscuits. They provide structure and make the biscuit very light and soft. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before whipping. 
• Sugar : Sugar is used for the sweetness and helps to create a crispy outer texture. 
• Vanilla essence : A dash of vanilla essence is added for its warm and sweet aroma. It enhances the overall flavour and balances the egg taste. 
• Salt : A pinch of salt is added to enhance the sweetness and balance the taste. 
• All purpose flour : All purpose flour helps to bind the ingredients together and give the biscuit its shape. 

---

Step by Step Pictures

Pre-preparation

1)Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Separate eggs yolks and egg whites.

Whipping Egg whites

2)Take egg whites in a clean dry bowl and use an electric beater to whip till it is fluffy.

3)Now you can see the whites looks frothy.

4)Now add in ⅓ cup of sugar little at a time and whip till frothy and fluffy.

5)Add in salt. Whip till it gets thick.

6)Once it is whipped till thick set aside.

Creaming Egg Yolks

7)Now take egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar in another bowl.

8)Add in vanilla extract.

9)and use the same electric beater to beat till creamy and pale.

10)This is the texture you are looking for.

Make Savoiardi Batter

11)Now Fold in the whipped egg white gently into the egg yolk.

12) Fold gently until just combined.

13)Sieve all purpose flour through a fine sieve right over the whipped egg.

14)Fold gently until just combined.

15)The batter is made.

Baking Biscuits

16)Once it is mixed up, fill a piping bag with this mix.

17)Cut off the edge to pipe the cookies.

18)pipe it like fingers on the parchment paper.

19)Place this into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 mins till the biscuits dries out.

20)Remove it and let it cool completely. Store them in an airtight container.

---

Tiramisu Recipe

Now that you have made ladyfinger biscuits. You can go ahead and make Tiramisu at home. here is the recipe for it.

---

Expert Tips

• Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before whipping.
• Whip the egg yolk and egg white separately until they are fluffy.
• Gradually add sugar to both egg white and yolk bowl, beat until stiff and glossy peaks are formed. 
• When adding flour to the egg mixture, gently fold using a spatula. Don't overmix them. 
• Use a piping bag to pipe the batter into its signature finger-like shape on the baking tray. 
• Bake them at the right temperature and time. Avoid opening the oven frequently while baking, it may loosen the shape. 

Storage & Serving

Once savoiardi biscuits are baked, let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container. These ladyfinger biscuits stay good at room temperature for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for a month. 

These Italian ladyfinger biscuits work perfectly as a base for classic Italian tiramisu, trifles, charlotte cakes and other layered desserts. It can also be enjoyed as a tea time snack to dip in coffee or in chocolate sauce as a quick dessert. 

---

FAQ

📖 Get Recipe

More Recipes to try

Tiramisu : This is a classic Italian dessert where the ladyfinger biscuits are soaked in coffee and layered with mascarpone cream and chilled to set. Serve this irresistible dessert by dusting cocoa powder and chocolate shaving on top. 

Chocolate tiramisu : Chocolate tiramisu is a rich dessert with a chocolate twist to the classic version. The soaked biscuits are layered with creamy mascarpone blended with nutella. It tastes so smooth, chocolatey and melt in your mouth dessert, that is perfect for any occasion.