This makes a very light, delicious cake. If you can't find superfine sugar, just put the sugar in a food processor and blend it with a medal blade for two minutes .If you don't have a food processor, a blender will work somewhat at high speed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup cake flour
- 12 egg whites (about 1 3/4 cups) at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups superfine granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine confectioner's sugar and cake flour in a bowl and sift twice; set aside. In the grease free bowl of electric mixer, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue whipping whites on medium speed until soft peaks form; add superfine sugar in three additions, slowing the mixer while adding the sugar. When all sugar has been added, the whites should be firm and glossy and hold medium peaks.
- Fold vanilla into whites. Fold flour mixture into whipped whites in four additions. Pour batter into an ungreased 10 in. tube pan, smooth batter with a spatula and drag a clean knife through the pan to release any large air bubbles. Bake in the lower third of oven until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. 40 to 45 minutes. Immediately invert cake over a bottle or onto the pan's legs. Allow cake to cool completely.
- To remove from pan, run a thin knife or metal spatula around the outside of the cake, turn pan upside down and tap firmly to release cake. To serve, slice with a serrated knife using a sawing action.
The following is a wonderful use for the yellows of the eggs just used in the Angel Food Cake.
Gingered French Butter Cream
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 8 egg yolks (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 1/4 butter, softened, 5 sticks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons peach preserves
Preparation
- In medium saucepan, stir sugar and water together. Place over high heat and bring to boil; cover and cook for 1 minute to dissolve sugar, Uncover the pan; reduce heat to medium high. Clip candy thermometer to pan and cook syrup to soft ball stage, 240 degrees (or until a small dollop dropped in a glass of water holds together)
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip egg yolks on high speed until thick and fluffy and pale in color. Reduce speed to medium and slowly pour syrup down the inside of the bowl. Once syrup is incorporated in mixture, increase mixer speed to high and whip until cool, 20 to 25 minutes. With mixer running on medium speed, add butter a tablespoon at a time until incorporated (be patient, it will take a while). Add vanilla, ground ginger and peach preserves. Mix until well-combined and fluffy.
This Butter Cream is perfect served with the Angel Food Cake.
