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1
Line two cookie sheets with Silpat (or baking parchment, or butter and flour).
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2
Preheat oven to 300F.
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3
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with the 1/2 cup of the sugar and the vanilla, until the mixture is thick and light-colored and forms a flat ribbon falling back upon itself.
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4
Once or twice, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides.
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5
With a clean bowl and beater, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy.
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6
Add remaining 1 tblsp of sugar and whip until the whites are stiff but not dry.
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7
This stage is signaled when you can turn the bowl upside down and the whites stay put.
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8
Using a rubber spatula, scoop 1/4 of the whites into the yolk mixture and fold them lightly together.
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9
Dont over-mix streaks of the whites should remain.
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10
Sift about 1/4 of the flour over the whipped batter, fold the mix over itself a couple of times, then add another 1/4 of the whites and fold gently.
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11
Repeat, until all flour and whites are used and you can still see those streaks.
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12
This is the point at which you would get out your piping bag for regular lady-fingers.
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13
If you want to do that, pipe fingers that are 3-3.5 long and 1 apart.
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14
Then sift them with confectioners/icing sugar.
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15
For trifle, simply evenly divide the mixture between the two cookie sheets and gently spread into thin sheets.
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16
Dust with the icing sugar and bake for about 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.
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17
Remove from oven, cool and then slice into fingers.
