Biscuits à la cuillère (Ladyfingers)

Before starting this Ladyfingers recipe, make sure you have organised all the necessary ingredients.

Clarify the eggs.

Keep 5 egg yolks in a recipient.

Mix the egg yolks with 125 grams of castor sugar...

... and blanch by beating vigorously for 5 minutes.

Add the sifted flour...

... and combine...

... until the preparation has a homogeneous consistency.

Whip up the egg whites until firm.

The 8 egg whites should precisely make 1/4 litre. If necessary, you can either add or remove an egg. This will vary according to the size of the eggs.

Halfway through the whisking process, add 90g of icing sugar and continue whipping until stiff.

Add 1/3 of the meringue to the first preparation. Combine well with a whisk.

Add the remaining meringue...

... and gently combine, using a rubber spatula. The resulting mixture should be used right away.

Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium diameter plain nozzle. I recommend using a dough scraper.

On a baking sheet lined with non-stick greaseproof paper or a baking mat, pipe all the sponge fingers in one go. You may need to use 2 or 3 baking sheets.

Sprinkle with the remaining 35 grams of icing sugar.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas 4) and bake for approximately 14 minutes.

The biscuits are ready when golden and puffed up.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool. These sponge fingers can be enjoyed plain as an afternoon treat, or can be used to make a charlotte.