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1
Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
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2
Reduce to a simmer.
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3
Combine the eggs, salt, extract, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer but use a hand whisk to mix smooth.
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4
Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture is lukewarm, about 100 degrees, all in all about 1 minute.
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5
Place the bowl on the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium speed until the mixture has cooled and increased in volume.
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6
This will be in about 5 or 6 minutes.
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7
Stop the mixer and try to draw a line about 3 inches long and 1/4 inch deep in the egg foam with a fingertip; if it holds its shape, its ready.
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8
Remove the bowl from the mixer and in three or four additions sift over and fold in the flour with a rubber spatula.
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9
Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tube (Ateco #806).
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10
Pipe the batter dough onto the prepared pans in 2 1/2 to 3-inch fingers, leaving about an inch all around.
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11
After all the cookies are piped, cover one row of piped fingers with granulated sugar.
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12
Shake the sugar toward you until all the fingers are coated.
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13
Remember to hold down the corners of the paper with your thumbs, or the paper with the cookies attached will slide off the pan.
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14
Shake the excess sugar off the pan onto a sheet of wax paper and reuse for the next batch.
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15
Let the cookies dry, uncovered, for at least 4 hours at room temperatureovernight is best, so that the sugar coating adheres.
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16
When you are ready to bake the cookies, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
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17
Bake the cookies for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are firm and light golden color.
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18
Slide the papers from the pans onto racks.
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19
Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.
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20
VARIATION
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21
ANISE DISKS: This old-fashioned Alsatian and Swiss cookie deserves to be better known.
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22
To make them, substitute 2 teaspoons anise extract for the vanilla extract.
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23
Pipe the cookies as 1 1/2-inch disks.
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24
Sugar them the same way as the champagne fingers or not, as you wish.
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25
Let the cookies dry, uncovered, at room temperature for 24 hours before baking them.
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26
They are very delicate.
