Angel Food Cake
with Fruit Topping

It is not essential that you beat the egg whites in a copper bowl, however, copper binds with the protein in egg whites and helps to create volume and a stable foam.

Cake

    1 cup cake flour
    ½ teaspoon salt
    12 large egg whites
    2 tablespoons water
    1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon cream of tartar
    1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    ½ teaspoon almond extract

Toppings

    Strawberries or Peaches
    Vanilla Syrup

    Whipped Cream


1.  Preheat the oven to 325° . Line a 10 x 4 ¼ or 4 ½-inch
     angel food cake pan with removable base with parchment
     paper. Don't grease the pan!

2.  Sift the flour and salt onto a piece of waxed paper. Sift again          
     onto another sheet of waxed paper. Sift one more time back
     onto original sheet of wax paper. Set aside.

3.  Break eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Place egg
     whites in a large deep bowl.

4.  Beat the egg whites and water with mixer on medium speed
     until soft peaks form. The egg whites should be soft but hold
     their shape. This should take 2 ½ to 3 minutes.

5.  Gradually beat in 1 tablespoon sugar at a time. This will take
     2 minutes or more. Beat in cream of tartar, vanilla and
     almond extract.

6.  Sift the flour/salt mixture, ¼ cup at a time, over the batter
     and fold in gently. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

7.  Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Remove from
     oven and place upside down on large plate if pan has feet, or
     set on the top of an inverted glass. Allow the cake to cool.

8.  To unmold, run a long knife around edges and middle. Shake         
     pan to release the cake, then peel off the parchment paper.

9.  Slice with a serrated knife just before serving.

     Hint 1: Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.
     Peaches and vanilla ice cream are also divine with this cake.

     Hint 2: Freeze yolks in an ice cube tray for use in baking.   
    The ice cube tray should be washed in a dishwasher or rinsed
     with boiling water before using again for ice. Egg yolks can
     be thawed and used for brushing on rolls before baking.


     Makes 12 servings