Ladyfingers are usually a pale cookie with a light and airy texture. They are said to have originated in Italy. It is possible you’re more familiar with them than you might think as they are used as one part of other desserts, one being the extremely popular tiramisu.
Ladyfingers are very popular around the world with different names in different cultures. In the Philippines, we call them broas. We often have them alongside hot coffee or hot cocoa.
What to watch out for when making Ladyfingers (Filipino Broas)
The process of making Ladyfingers or broas is simple and quick. There’s just a couple things you need to keep in mind:
- Do not over work the egg whites. Soft peaks come before stiff peaks. For the right consistency, stop before they get too stiff
- Fold the whites into the yolks. If you do the opposite, the weight of the yolks will deflate the whites and affect the texture of your cookie!
How to make Ladyfingers (Filipino Broas)
Making Ladyfingers doesn’t involve too many steps nor is it complex. If you are aware of potential pitfalls (see above) then you should have no problem making them! You can find the full list of ingredients and detailed steps below.
Start by separating your egg yolks and whites. You’ll be using both but just separately.
First, whip up the whites to soft peaks. If you’re using the whisk attachment, be careful not to overwhip. Toss in some sugar once those peaks are made.
Beat the egg yolks with some sugar, salt, and vanilla. Then fold the whites into the beaten yolks.
Sift in the dry ingredients and then fold until well integrated.
Put the mixture in a piping bag and snip a large hole. Pipe onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Finish with some powdered sugar.
Time to bake! Let cool and serve!
Recipe
Ladyfingers (Filipino Broas)
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar divide in half for separate steps
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
- In a stand mixer, pour the egg whites. Using the general mixer attachment, mix on medium-high until aerated. Then add ¼ cup of the sugar by the spoonful. Continue mixing until soft peaks are formed.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are pale. Add the second ¼ cup of sugar, vanilla, and salt to the beaten yolks.
- Take the egg whites and fold them into the yolks bit by bit. When this is mixed evenly, sift the flour and corn starch directly into the mixture and fold it all in.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉
- Once everything is well combined, you can fill a piping bag with the mixture. Cut a rather large opening and pipe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pipe into 4 inch by 1 inch logs with generous amount of space between. Once all are piped, dust with powdered sugar.
- Bake at 350℉ for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden. They should be a bit firm to the touch.
- Let cool and serve!