Tom Roachs Angel Food Cake Recipes

THE BEST ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk the sugar, cream of tartar and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Add the egg whites and 2 tablespoons water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on low speed until the whites are foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and slowly sprinkle in the sugar mixture (this should take about 3 minutes). Watching closely, continue beating until medium-soft peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes longer. (You want the mixture to droop when lifted out of the bowl. If the peaks stand straight up, you have taken it too far and the cake will sink during baking). Add the vanilla and mix until just combined.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and working in three additions, very gently fold the flour into the egg whites until just incorporated. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch footed angel food cake pan and smooth the top.
• Bake until the top is golden and springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cake upside-down on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, about 3 hours.
• Run a knife or a small offset spatula around the edges of the pan and gently tap it on the counter until it releases from the pan. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake -- a regular knife will smash it. Serve with berries and whipped cream.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Sift flour three times. Sift again with 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar. In an electric mixing machine, making sure bowl is clean and free of any oil, beat egg whites until frothy. Add salt, cream of tartar. Beat until it barely holds soft peaks. Beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, until it holds stiff peaks. Fold in extracts.
• Sift 1/4 flour mixture over whites and gently but thoroughly fold it in. Sift and fold in remaining flour, in the same manner, 1/4 at a time. Spoon or pour batter into a very clean, ungreased tube pan. Rap it on the counter to eliminate gaps. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan over bottle to cool. Cool completely before inserting sharp knife around edges of pan to loosen. Rap bottom of pan firmly on counter. Invert onto plate. Serve with Passion Fruit Coulis (recipe follows).
• Recommended Wine: 1992 Beringer Feinders Reserve Nightengale
• In a small sauce pan add both ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, cook until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• If using pulp, strain through a fine sieve. Serve with plain cake.