Angel Food Cake With Grapefruit Compote Recipes

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar until fine and powdery. Remove 1 cup and set aside to use in step 3; keep the rest inside the food processor. Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 5-10 times until sugar/flour/salt mixture is aerated and light.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute. Switch to medium-high and slowly add the 1 cup of sugar you set aside. Whip until soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. See photo and video above for a visual. Add the vanilla extract, then beat just until incorporated.
• In 3 additions, slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture using a fine mesh strainer, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. To avoid deflating or a dense cake, don't add the flour mixture all at once. Sift and very slowly fold in several additions. This is important! Pour and spread batter into an ungreased 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth down the surface.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. The cake will rise up very tall while baking. Remove from the oven, then cool the cake completely upside-down set on a wire rack, about 3 hours. (Upside-down so the bottom of the tube pan is right-side up, see photo and video above.) Once cooled, run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake releases.
• If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice the cake with a sharp serrated knife. Regular knives can easily squish the cake. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

RUBY GRAPEFRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine the water, honey, zests, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice berries in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, until cinnamon is unfurled and mixture is aromatic, about 10 minutes. Strain.
• Meanwhile, cut peel and white pith off the grapefruits and oranges with a serrated knife. With a sharp paring knife, cut between the membranes, catching any juices in a bowl, to release segments. Add the juices to the honey-spice mixture. Put the fruit segments in a bowl.
• Pour the hot liquid over the citrus, add the grenadine or vermouth and stir to combine. Serve the citrus compote with biscotti.

GRILLED ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH CITRUS COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the Citrus Compote: Zest 1 grapefruit and set aside for the Grapefruit Whipped Cream. Cut off the top and bottom of an orange and place it on the counter flat side down. Cut the outer peel and pith off. Cut into chunks, removing as much pith as possible. Repeat with the remaining citrus fruits (including the zested grapefruit). Add the citrus chunks to a medium saucepot with 1/2 cup of water, the sugar and a handful of mint. Bring to low boil over medium heat and cook, occasionally stir gently making sure not to break up the fruit too much, until slightly syrupy and the sugar is dissolved, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the mint and reserve, it will thicken slightly as it cools.
• For the Grapefruit Whipped Cream: Add the cream and zest to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer and whip on medium-high speed until peaks are medium-stiff. Refrigerate.
• For the Angel Food Cake: Preheat your outdoor grill to medium heat. Slice the angel food cake in half along the equator. Place each half on the grill and toast on both sides until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side.
• Place the bottom of the grilled angel food cake on a platter and spoon about half of the whipped cream over top. Use a slotted spoon to spoon some of the citrus compote over the whipped cream (don't use too much syrup or the whipped cream will be too runny). Place the top half of the cake on top (like a whipped cream sandwich). Spoon the other half of the whipped cream over top and spoon more of the citrus compote on. Garnish with mint leaves. Slice and serve like a layer cake.

ROSEMARY-THYME ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH PINEAPPLE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the cake flour, 3/4 cup superfine sugar and the salt onto a piece of parchment paper. Sift the flour mixture a second time onto another piece of parchment; set aside. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 4 more minutes. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup superfine sugar; increase the speed to high and beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, until fully incorporated with no pockets of dry ingredients. Transfer the batter to an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan. Bake until golden and the cake springs back when pressed, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert the cake pan onto a small funnel or bottle neck and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the compote: Combine the brown sugar, rum, 1/2 cup water and the rosemary and thyme sprigs in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple, return to a gentle simmer and cook until the pineapple is softened and the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 1 hour. Remove the herb sprigs.
• Loosen the edge of the cake with a knife, tap the sides of the pan against the counter and unmold the cake onto a platter. Slice and serve with the compote.

ORANGE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND TROPICAL-FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Place pan over low heat; stir until caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat; add butter, cardamom, and pinch of salt. Stir until butter melts. Cool.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature or rewarm over low heat before using.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift powdered sugar, flour, and salt 3 times. Place in medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until whites are opaque and soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar, beating until whites are thick and shiny and fluffy peaks form (peaks should droop over gently; do not overbeat). Add orange peel and vanilla; beat just until blended. Sift 1/4 of flour mixture over whites. Using large rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture in 3 more additions. Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan with removable bottom and 4-inch-high sides (do not use nonstick pan); smooth top.
• Bake cake until golden and springy to touch, about 50 minutes. Immediately invert pan onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of bottle or funnel. Cool cake completely.
• Gently tap bottom edge of pan on work surface while rotating pan until cake loosens. Transfer to platter. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.
• For compote:
• Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Using small sharp knife and working over bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release orange segments into bowl. Squeeze remaining juice from membranes into bowl. If orange segments are large, cut each in half or thirds. Cut passion fruits in half; scoop out pulp and add to orange segments. Add remaining fruits, sugar, mint, and pinch of salt. Toss gently to combine. DO HEAD: an be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
• Slice cake; transfer to plates. Spoon compote alongside; top with caramel.

GINGER BERRY COMPOTE WITH ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine berries, sugar, zest, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until berries have softened and released their juices, 10 to 12 minutes. Let compote cool slightly.
• Cut angel food cake into 8 wedges. Spoon compote over or alongside cake wedges and serve. (Compote can be served at room temperature or cold.)