Recipe No#24
Angel Cake
April 2000

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
12 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 drops vanilla extract
2 drops almond extract
Confectioners' sugar, to dust
Strawberries, halved, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready an angel food cake pan, measuring 9 1/2-10 inches across the top and 4 inches in depth. The pan needs no preparation. Sift 1 cup of the sugar together with the flour. Repeat the sifting process six times, then set aside. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until they are foamy with soft peaks. Add the salt, cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extract and 1 tablespoon water, and when bubbles form, add the remaining sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Beat in well until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture stands in a very stiff peaks. Add the sifted flour and sugar and, using a plastic spatula, carefully fold in to blend thoroughly. Spoon into the pan and pull a flexible metal spatula, upright in the pan and touching the base, through the mixture in a circle. This will remove pockets of air and help to blend. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Turn the pan upside down onto a wire rack and cool completely in the pan so that it will not collapse as it cools. To remove, the cake may require loosening around the edge with a metal spatula. Transfer to a serving plate, dust with the sifted confectioners' sugar and garnish with strawberries. This cake can either be served plain with whipped cream and strawberries, or drizzled with melted chocolate. Alternatively, coat with whipped cream flavored with strong coffee or melted chocolate.