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Milk and Honey Cookbook
Jennifer Cote's
inspirational cookbook,
From the Land of Milk and Honey, is available online at
Winepress Christian Books. $13.95
There are a number of angel food cake recipes out there, but most agree on a few basics. Do not grease your angel food cake pan! The batter will rise and hold its shape as it clings to the sides of the pan. With a buttered pan, it can fall.
Another tip: Let your egg whites warm up to room temperature for maximum volume. Also, when cooling the cake, leave it in the pan, but turn it upside-down, setting it on top of a funnel (so it doesn't lay flat on the counter and get stuck...). Note: if your angel food cake pan has "feet", these will support the cake.
Some angel food cake recipes call for elaborate fillings, plus frosting. But if you're making a homemade angel food cake, it'll be so good; what more does it need? Our taste-testers agreed: With some strawberries blended up into a sauce, and a bit of whipped cream, and we had a great dessert.
Most angel food cake recipes call for cake flour. I haven't used cake flour ever since mine went bad on me. I just didn't use it often enough, and it got bugs in it. Besides, regular flour is cheaper, and I always have it on hand. If you were ever wondering if you could substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, the answer is yes. But for every cup of cake flour, use 1 cup minus 2 TBS. of all-purpose flour. And do sift it. I don't sift flour too often, but I do sift it for Angel Food Cake!
Angel Food Cake with Easy Strawberry Sauce: Naturally Good!
Save your yolks to use in Lemon Curd or for custard (as in the Pear Tart with Custard recipe). If not making such desserts right away, you can freeze egg yolks, but it is best to mix the yolks with 1 TBS. sugar per 12 yolks. I froze mine in 1/2 c. portions (approx. 6 egg yolks), as that was just the right amount for many desserts. Just decrease the sugar as needed, in future recipes using those yolks. Without adding sugar, salt, or acid to the yolks, the protein in the frozen yolks can get lumpy.
Serves 12.
Ingredients:
- 1 c. minus 2 TBS. all-purpose flour (or 1 c. cake flour)
- 1 1/2 c. (plus 1/4 c.) confectioner's sugar
- 12 egg whites (1 1/2 c.), room-temperature
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 c. (plus 2 TBS.) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. (plus 1/2 tsp.) vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. (plus 1/4 tsp.) almond extract
- 10 oz. bag frozen strawberries, thawed (or 1 or 2 pints fresh)
- 1 c. whipping cream
Sift together and set aside: > 1 c. minus 2 TBS. all-purpose flour > 1 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
Whip until foamy: > 12 egg whites (room-temp.) > 1/4 tsp. salt > 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Add, 2 tablespoons at a time: > 1 c. granulated sugar
Continue whipping the egg white/sugar mix until it holds stiff peaks and gets glossy. Fold in: > 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla > 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Sprinkle 1/4 cup at a time of the sifted dry ingredients, into the egg white mixture. Fold in just until it disappears. A large, shallow bowl works well for folding the dry ingredients in. Turn the batter out into an un-greased angel food cake pan. Run a spatula through the batter in the pan, which helps disperse any big air bubbles. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 min., until top springs back to the touch. Turn cake upside-down, letting it cool completely in the pan before serving.
Prepare Strawberry Sauce, processing the following in food processor or blender: > 10 oz. bag frozen strawberries, thawed > 2 TBS. sugar > 1/4 tsp. almond extract
Whip cream to serve on the side. Whip until light: > 1 c. whipping cream
Add to whipped cream and mix again just until blended: > 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar > 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Serve big slices of angel food cake with the strawberry sauce and whipped cream.
