Ladyfinger (biscuit)

Ladyfinger
Alternative names	Naples biscuits, sponge fingers (inBritish English),savoiardi(inItalian),boudoirs(inFrench)
Type	Biscuit
Course	Dessert
Region or state	County of Savoy
Created by	14th-century official cuisine of the County of Savoy (may antedate invernacular cuisine)
Main ingredients	Flour,egg whites,egg yolks,sugar,powdered sugar
	Cookbook: Ladyfinger; Media: Ladyfinger;

LadyfingersorNaples biscuits,^[1]in British Englishsponge fingers,also known by the Italian namesavoiardi(Italian:[savoˈjardi]) or by the French nameboudoirs(French:[budwaʁ]), are low-density, dry, egg-based, sweetsponge cakebiscuits roughly shaped like large fingers.^[2]They are a principal ingredient in many dessert recipes, such astriflesandcharlottes,and are also used as fruit or chocolate gateau linings, and for the sponge element oftiramisu.^[3]They are typically soaked in a sugarsyruporliqueur,or in coffee orespressofor tiramisu.^[4]

History

Ladyfingers are said to have originated in the 14th century at the court of theCounty of Savoy,^[5]and were created to mark the occasion of a visit by the King of France. They were particularly appreciated by the younger members of the court and offered to visitors as an example of the local cuisine.

Preparation

Close-up view of a Vicenzovo-brand Italian ladyfinger

Like other sponge cakes, ladyfingers traditionally contain no chemicalleavening agent,and rely on air incorporated into the eggs for their "sponge" texture. Some brands, however, containammonium bicarbonate.Theegg whitesandegg yolksmixed 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 apastry bagin short lines onto sheets,^[3]giving the biscuits their notable shape.

Before baking,powdered sugaris usually sifted over the top^[3]to give a soft crust. The finished ladyfingers are usually layered into a dessert such as tiramisu or trifle.

Name

They have gained many regional names:

In Argentina:vainillas
In Australia: sponge fingers
In Austria:Biskotte
In Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia:piškote/piškoti,пишкоте/пишкоти
In Brazil:biscoito champagne(champagne biscuits)
In Bulgaria:bishkoti(бишкоти)
In Canada: ladyfingers
In Chile:galletas de champaña(champagne biscuits)
In China:shǒuzhǐ bǐnggān(Thủ chỉ bính càn,finger biscuits)
In Colombia:lenguas(tongues, after their form)
In Cuba:bizcocho
In the Czech Republic:dlouhé piškoty(long sponge biscuits) orcukrářské piškoty(confectioner's biscuits)
In El Salvador:suspiros
In Finland:tiramisukeksit(tiramisù biscuits),savoiardikeksit(savoiardibiscuits), andsokerikakkukeksit(sugar cake biscuits)
In France:boudoirsorbiscuits à la cuillère^[2](spoon biscuits) orbiscuits champagne
In Germany:Löffelbiskuits(spoon biscuits)
In Greece:savouayiár(σαβουαγιάρ,a French adaptation of the Italian name)
In Guatemala:chiquiadores
In Hungary:babapiskóta(baby sponge cake)
In Indonesia:kue lidah kucing(cat's tongue biscuits)
In Iran:latifeh(لطیفه)
In Israel:biskot(בישקוט)
In Italy:savoiardi
In North Macedonia:biskviti(бисквити)
In Mexico:soletas(littlesoles)
In Flanders and the Netherlands:lange vingers(long fingers)
In Pakistan:bistiks(بسٹیکس)
In the Philippines:broasorbroa(Spanish for some more nutritive types of bread, sometimes misspelled asbrojas); variants includecamachileandlengua de gato
In Poland:kocie języczki(cats' little tongues) orbiszkopty^[6](sponge cakes/biscuits)
In Portugal:biscoitos de champanhe(champagne biscuits) orpalitos la reine
In Romania:pișcoturi
In Russia:damskiye pal'chiki(дамские пальчики,lady's fingers)
In Slovakia:cukrárske piškóty(Konditor'sbiscuits)
In Slovenia:bebi piškoti(baby biscuits)
In South Africa: sold as boudoir biscuits, but best known as finger biscuits
In Spain:bizcochos de soletilla(little sole biscuits)
In Sweden:glacebröd;savoiardikex(savoiardibiscuits)
In Taiwan:Thủ chỉ bính càn(finger biscuits)
In Turkey:kedi dili(cat's tongue)
In the United Kingdom: sponge fingers,boudoirbiscuits, baby biscuits,funeral biscuits,savoy biscuits, or boudoir fingers, ladyfingers (recent American influence)
In the United States: ladyfingers,^[7]boudoir cookies (occasionally)
Inultra-Orthodox Jewishcommunities, especially in US, a version of ladyfingers usually manufactured from apotato starchbase is a popularPassoversnack, in recent years many companies have taken to labeling them as babyfingers^[8]instead of ladyfingers due to a sentiment popular in that community that views any public mention of ladies as immodest.^{[citation needed]}
In Uruguay and Venezuela:plantillas(insoles)
In Vietnam:bánh sâm banh,bánh săm pa(biscuits champagne)

References

^Glasse, Hannah; Wilson, Maria (1800).The Complete Confectioner, Or, Housekeeper's Guide to a Simple and Speedy Method of Understanding the Whole Art of Confectionary.J. D. Dewick, Westmoreland Buildings, Aldersgate Street, and sold by R. Dutton, Birchin Lane; West and Hughes, Paternoster-Row; and all other booksellers. p. 192.
^^a ^bDavidson, Alan(2014). Jaine, Tom (ed.).The Oxford companion to food(3. ed. / ed. by Tom Jaine ed.). Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. pp. 96–97.ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
^^a ^b ^cThe Ultimate Cookie Book.Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Series. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. 2014. p. 169.ISBN 978-0-544-33929-3.Retrieved29 January2017.
^Parkinson, A. (2005).Italian Desserts.A. Parkinson. p. 63.ISBN 978-1-4116-4464-9.Retrieved29 January2017.
^"Il Savoiardo: un biscotto di nobili origini".I Genuini(in Italian). 10 November 2017.Retrieved12 June2024.
^Biszkopty (Polski)Archived26 March 2016 at theWayback MachineCarrefour. Poland.
^Sinclair, Charles (1 January 2009).Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z.A&C Black.ISBN 9781408102183– via Google Books.
^Manufacturers websiteexample

[1] Glasse, Hannah; Wilson, Maria (1800).The Complete Confectioner, Or, Housekeeper's Guide to a Simple and Speedy Method of Understanding the Whole Art of Confectionary.J. D. Dewick, Westmoreland Buildings, Aldersgate Street, and sold by R. Dutton, Birchin Lane; West and Hughes, Paternoster-Row; and all other booksellers. p. 192.

[Davidson-2014-2] Davidson, Alan(2014). Jaine, Tom (ed.).The Oxford companion to food(3. ed. / ed. by Tom Jaine ed.). Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. pp. 96–97.ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.

[Better_Homes_and_Gardens_2014-3] The Ultimate Cookie Book.Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Series. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. 2014. p. 169.ISBN 978-0-544-33929-3.Retrieved29 January2017.

[Parkinson_2005-4] Parkinson, A. (2005).Italian Desserts.A. Parkinson. p. 63.ISBN 978-1-4116-4464-9.Retrieved29 January2017.

[5] "Il Savoiardo: un biscotto di nobili origini".I Genuini(in Italian). 10 November 2017.Retrieved12 June2024.

[cf-6] Biszkopty (Polski)Archived26 March 2016 at theWayback MachineCarrefour. Poland.

[Sinclair-2009-7] Sinclair, Charles (1 January 2009).Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z.A&C Black.ISBN 9781408102183– via Google Books.

[8] Manufacturers websiteexample

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References