This superb recipe comes from "The Best Recipe," a cookbook recently published by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine. It is snowy white and tender, without being overly sweet, like so many angel food cakes. The crust is subtly reminiscent of almond macaroons in both taste and texture. Angel food cake is best served the same day it's made, but if you have leftovers, it is delicious the next day for breakfast -- lightly toast it and serve warm.
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sifted sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups (about 12 large) egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have ready an ungreased large tube pan (9-inch diameter and 16-cup capacity, preferably with a removable bottom. If pan bottom is not removable, you must line it with parchment or wax paper, but do not grease the pan, or the batter won't be able to climb the sides of the pan and you will have a flat angel food cake.
Whisk together the flour and half the sugar in a small bowl. Place the remaining sugar in another small bowl near the mixer.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-low speed until just broken up and beginning to froth. Add cream of tartar and salt, and beat at medium speed until whites form soft, billowy mounds, 2 to 3 minutes. With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in half the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites are shiny and form soft peaks, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and almond extract, and beat for about 30 second at highest speed.
Resift the flour/sugar mixture, and spoon it over the egg whites, about 3 tablespoons at a time, folding in gently with a large spatula.
Gently scrape batter into pan, smooth top with spatula and give the pan a couple of gentle raps on the counter to release any large air bubbles in the batter.
Bake on lower-middle rack at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, until cake is golden brown and top springs back when pressed firmly.
If cake pan has feet, invert pan onto them. If not, invert pan over neck of bottle (or two stacked wire cookie cooling racks) so air can circulate completely all around it. Allow cake to cool completely for 2 to 3 hours.
To unmold, run a thin serrated knife around the edges, being careful to dislodge as little of the crust as possible. Pull cake out of pan and use the same technique on the bottom, or peel off parchment or wax paper if using. Place cake, bottom side up, on a platter. Cut slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife. Serves 10 to 12.
Sunday, August 13, 2000
