Angel Food Cake is a very light textured dessert cake. The reason the cake is so light in texture is due to the incorporation of whipped egg whites. The processs of which this cake is made is really pretty cool. The whipped egg whites, when folded in ever so gently, and when put into the bundt pan. The eggs act as a leavening agent when cooking, making the cake rise, until the finished product is light, and fluffy. It is also on of the low fat desserts. You can add fresh fruit, and a non fat dairy topping to go along with this. It will be a delicious treat.
Ingredients you will need:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar -- sifted
1 cup granulated sugar1 cup unbleached flour -- sifted1 1/2 cup egg whites -- just blended- will eventually whip all into firm, soft peaks.
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste1/4 teaspoon almond extract1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350. Mix powdered sugar and flour in a mixing bowl; set aside.
In separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, salt, and almond extract at high speed until well blended. You will gradually sprinkle in granulated sugar about 2-3 tablespoons at a time while beating at high speed. Beat until the sugar is dissolved and egg whites are whipped into stiff peaks. Do not scrape sides of bowl during beating, this will deflate the air that you are incorporating into the egg whites.
Fold in flour mixture about 1/3 at a time, with a rubber spatula just until flour disappears.
Pour mixture in unprepared 10" bundt pan. Cut through batter to break large air bubbles with metal spatula.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a nice golden color,or until done.
Remove from oven and set upside-down until cooled.
Chef Shelley Pogue is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate from The Texas Culinary Academy located in Austin, Texas. Chef Pogue graduated with honors of cum laude with a GPA of 3.71. Shelley went to work for The Hills Fitness Center in Westlake Hills after graduation and stayed the for one year as the Executive Chef. She then left The Hills and went to work for a company Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Chef Pogue is currently developing sauces and meal concepts for large retail markets in the US. Chef Pogue lives in Austin, TX, and is also a personal chef and caterer, and also working on developing a recipe and cook book.
