Why are my lady fingers so soft?

You might be wondering what the right texture is for a ladyfinger. Well, the truth is, when they're freshly baked they are actually quite soft and sponge-like in the center and a little crisp on the outside. Being so delicate, though, they firm up in a really short time if left out in the air.

Nilla Wafers replace lady fingers (everyone loves a good Nilla Wafer, and they're easy to find). And I felt like the eggs were unnecessary here, so I skipped that part. But you've still got the delicious coffee flavor, the cocoa, and the creamy mascarpone cheese still in tact.

Although ladyfingers are a delicious biscuit for dipping into hot drinks, they are also commonly used as a key ingredient in desserts like tiramisu. If you don't have any in the cupboard then you can replace them with sponge cake, biscotti, or pound cake.

Most ladyfingers are quite plain, and that makes them versatile enough to go into any recipe. If you opt to make them yourself, you can easily flavor them with any extract, a bit of citrus zest or spice to give them a flavor that stands out more in desserts.

American versions of ladyfingers are soft, with a texture similar to pound, sponge or angel food cake. Margherite cookies are closer in texture to shortbread.

is that "ladyfingers" is a small sponge cake, shaped approximately like a finger and "madeleines" is a French type of small gateau or sponge cake, often shaped like an elongated scallop shell..