Ladyfingers cookies recipe

These sweet and slim little bites are the perfect sophisticated iced treat.

These ladyfinger cookies look just like iced buns, but they're actually biscuits. They're so simple to make and ice, you can gave a batch ready in just an hour and a half. And that's including chilling time. If you want them even quicker, you can substitute the icing for a layer of sifted icing sugar. This recipe makes a batch of about 20. They are perfect for serving up with afternoon tea because they look so pretty, but they're not as sticky and messy as real iced buns. Top with silver balls or sprinkles, as you like.

Ingredients

• 150g softened butter
• 150g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 240g plain flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

For the glaze:

• 100g icing sugar
• Sprinkles to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line 3 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix together the butter, icing sugar and egg in a bowl.
3. Sift together the flour and cream of tartar. Add to the butter and mix to a thick dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Remove the dough from the cling film and divide into 20 balls. On a well floured surface, roll each ball into a 10cm long sausage shape. Place onto a baking sheet, approximately 4cm apart.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until starting to turn slightly golden on top, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the tray. Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
6. Make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar with a little water, 1 tbsp at a time, until you have a thick spreading consistency. Add more water or icing sugar if needed. Spread the icing onto each cookie finger and decorate with sprinkles.

Top tip for making ladyfingers cookies

You can make these up a day or two in advance and keep them in a sealed Tuppaware container. They'll be good for up to 4 days.

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