In the United States, the use of lady fingers in a variety of desserts as an ingredient became popular in
the 1950's and 1960's. So popular in fact that you can buy lady fingers in virtually any grocery store. Because
 they are available and affordable, very few people make them or even know how to make them! However, the
 homemade are so much better than the puffy biscuits you find in the supermarket.

In Italy, the home of the fabulously simple, easy and delicious dessert Tiramisu ... lady fingers are still made
 and the recipes are varied. They are called "Savoiardi" in Italy. The challenge is that the recipes I found are
 far from complete and like a mystery novel leave out keep steps and ingredients rendering the final
product less than satisfactory.... much like most recipes for meringue.

Basic recipe:

4 eggs
5 ounces of powdered sugar
6 ounces of wheat flour
2 ounces of potato flour ( or potato pancake mix)

cinnamon

 
   
 

the flours and the pastry tube for making the lady fingers
 

  

whipping the egg whites & 1 oz of powdered sugar
(add some cornstarch mixture* to produce peaks)

* place 1/3 cup water 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar in a pan... continually stir under medium heat until it becomes rubbery... or as someone called it disdainfully ..."goop"
 
   
   

two bowls: egg whites and egg yolks (add remaining
sugar to yolks and whip)
 
... then, slowly adding the flours
   
   

make it thick enough... but not too thick to not be
 able to use a pastry tube
place batter with a tube on a greased piece of wax paper,
but first sprinkle cinnamon on each 'finger' bake for
about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, then cool and
remove paper
 
   

enjoy!!!!

CLICK TO SEE THE TIRAMISU RECIPE