Tag: Sponge Drops

Biszkopciki – Little Sponge Cakes

Biszcopciki, Sponge drops or fingers, Lady Fingers and Savoiardi (Italian) are names given to little light sponge cakes often with a light sugar crust.

In many older recipes eggs are separated and then the white and yolks beaten separately with sugar and these two mixtures brought together and plain flour added.

I have gone for a slightly easier version, using a more English sponge mixture with whole eggs and self raising flour but have used an icing sugar topping which is simple but wonderful!

You can use a piping bag to make these into fingers but I have made them into little tablespoon sized drops.

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 75g self raising flour
  • *
  • 2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
  • Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  • Whisk the eggs with the sugar until they are pale and thick.
  • Sift the flour.
  • Gently fold the flour into the whisked mixture.
  • Place tablespoonfuls of sponge mixture onto the trays, leaving them some distance apart.
  • Sift around 1 tablespoon of icing sugar over the drops.
  • Leave for 5 minutes (set a timer).
  • Sift another tablespoon of icing sugar over the drops.
  • Bake for 5 minutes and change the trays around.
  • Bake for another 3 to 5  minutes.
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes then remove with a metal spatula to cool on a wire rack.

Cake plate – Dubarry by Crown Devon from the 1930s

 

Served with Strawberry soup

Royal Doulton – Carnation 1982 – 1998

 

 

Egg Cookies

Eierkoeken – Egg Cookies  – are very popular in The Netherlands  – their  recent revival  was caused  I heard by Sonja Bakker  – a celebrity cook.

Koekje  is a small cake and the origin of the word cookie.

They are sold in bakers and supermarkets in packets of  five or six and even up to ten.

They are soft little cakes rather like English sponge drops.

The mixture is a fat free sponge similar to  Polish biszkopt.

They are so easy to make, especially if you have an electric hand whisk.

This two egg recipe makes six.

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 90g caster sugar
  • 120g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 190°C.
  • Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
  • Mix the flour and baking powder together.
  • Whisk the eggs and sugar till they are white and fluffy.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Place 6 circles of mixture on the baking tray.
  • Bake for around 15 minutes till golden – not much longer as they will be harder –  they need to be soft.

 

Served on Lavender plates by Jet for Ter Steege in The Netherlands

Variation

Add the grated rind of a lemon to the egg and sugar mixture  – a subtle addition to the flavour.