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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. With a pastry brush or paper towel, coat the bottom and sides of two 12-mold ladyfinger tins or 2 large baking sheets with the softened butter.
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2. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour into the pans and tip them from side to side to spread it evenly. Then invert the pans and rap them sharply on a table to remove the excess flour.
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3. Warm a large mixing bowl in hot water and dry it quickly but thoroughly. Drop in the eggs and egg yolks, add the sugar and beat with a whisk or a rotary or electric beater until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and has almost tripled in volume.
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4. With an electric mixer, this will take 10 to 15minutes; with a whisk or rotary beater, it may take as long as 25 or 30 minutes.
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5. Sift the flour and baking powder over the eggs a little at a time, gently but thoroughly folding them together with a rubber spatula as you proceed. When all the flour has been absorbed fold in the vanilla and lemon peel.
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6. Scoop the batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip and pipe it into the molds or onto the baking sheets in strips about 3½ inches long and 2 inches apart.
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7. Sprinkle the ladyfingers evenly with the ½ cup of confectioners' sugar and bake in the middle and upper third of the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the ladyfingers are a delicate gold color and slightly crusty on top.
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8. With a spatula, gently transfer the ladyfingers to cake racks to cool. In Spain, ladyfingers are served with natillas, and provide the base for torta moca.
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