Ladyfinger sponge

Ladyfinger sponge refers to a light batter in which stiffly beaten whites and yolks whisked with sugar are combined with flour, then piped before baking. Dry and porous, it readily absorbs syrups and spirits, making it the key element of the charlotte and of tiramisu. Its French name recalls the older practice of shaping the batter with a spoon, before the piping bag came into use.