There is no comparison between a homemade ladyfinger and a store-bought. These are light and airy, and are extremely tasty eaten plain, or used in your favorite dessert.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
In a large heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and salt.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water so its bottom is just touching the water. Whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves and it's heated to between 150° and 160°F. This will happen quickly, within 2 to 4 minutes. The mixture will slightly thicken and become lighter in color.
Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip at high speed until the mixture cools down and medium peaks form. The mixture will approximately triple in volume.
In three additions, sift the pastry flour over the mixture and gently fold to incorporate.
Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8” to 1/2" plain round tip.
Pipe batter about 1" wide and 3" long onto the baking sheets. Space ladyfingers about 1" apart.
Generously sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops of the ladyfingers.
Bake the ladyfingers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until a light gold color; don't let them brown. Immediately remove them from the baking sheets and cool completely on a rack. If desired, sift more confectioners’ sugar over the tops of the baked ladyfingers.
Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for three days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month.
For those of you partial to making ladyfingers the classic way, by separating the eggs, prepare the batter using these directions:
Beat the egg yolks, two-thirds of the granulated sugar, the vanilla, and salt until light in color, and most of the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Continue beating while adding the remaining granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.
Fold half the flour into the egg yolk mixture.
Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then add the remaining flour, stirring gently to mix.
