Richard Wittys Angel Food Cake 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.

RICHARD WITTY'S ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Be certain that your mixing bowl, whisk or beater, and 10-inch tube pan 4 inches deep (preferably with separate rim and bottom sections) are completely clean. Scrub them with detergent, then rinse and dry. Set aside. (There must be no trace of grease on the beating equipment, which would prevent the egg whites from expanding to their maximum. And grease on the pan would inhibit the rising of the cake.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out egg whites in beating or mixing bowl and let them come to room temperature, preferably at least 70 degrees. Measure all other ingredients.
• Sift flour and sugar separately onto sheets of waxed paper. Add salt and about 1/3 cup sugar to flour. Sift the salt, flour and sugar mixture 3 or 4 times; you might prefer to set out 2 large sheets of waxed paper, sifting the ingredients back and forth between them. Hold the sifter or strainer high as you sift, to aerate dry ingredients.
• Begin to beat egg whites, slowly at first, using a rotary beater or electric mixer. (Be careful not to overbeat; whites should form peaks when beater is lifted and should end up moist and glossy, not dry.) When whites begin to get foamy, add cream of tartar, lemon juice, water and flavoring extracts. Begin to beat at high speed and continue beating, without stopping, just until whites form stiff peaks, but are still moist.
• Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat in at moderately low speed until incorporated. Repeat additions, beating each in completely, until the rest of the sugar has been incorporated.
• Stop beating and sift about a quarter of the flour mixture over egg whites and fold it in with light strokes of a spatula. Repeat with second, third and fourth additions. Do not overfold. Lightly pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Run a thin metal spatula twice through the batter, once near the tube and once near the rim, to eliminate air pockets, and smooth the top.
• Bake 45 minutes, or until cake has shrunk very slightly from sides of pan and springs back when top is pressed lightly. If you use a cake tester, it should emerge clean.
• Remove cake from oven and invert it, still in pan. (Some pans have supporting legs; if yours doesn't, support the central tube of the pan on a narrow-neck bottle.) Let cake ''hang'' 1 1/2 hours, or until thoroughly cool.
• Run a sharp knife around sides of pan and unmold cake. To serve, the traditional method is to ''tear'' the cake into wedges with two forks held back to back, or to divide it with a comblike cake divider. A finely serrated knife, used in a light sawing motion, will cut the cake neatly, despite the time-honored advice about never using a knife.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Set the egg whites out about one hour ahead. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the flour with the half-cup of sugar and the allspice. Sift four times. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and lemon juice together, with an electric mixer on high speed, until they hold a soft peak. Begin adding the remaining one cup of sugar, a quarter cup at a time, until all the sugar is blended.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture until it is completely incorporated. Give it a few extra folds just to be sure all the flour is really mixed in, but be careful not to overmix. Gently scoop the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Smooth the batter with the rubber scraper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is dark golden brown.
• When baked, remove the cake from the oven and invert it, with the pan at least an inch above the counter. If your pan doesn't have metal feet, set the pan onto four inverted teaspoons or bowls. Remove the cake after it has completely cooled by slipping a fork down the side between the cake and the pan in several places. Once the cake is loosened, gently pull it out of the pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with ice cream and fresh berries.

BEST ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside. , Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake until lightly browned and entire top appears dry, 35-40 minutes. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar and flour together twice; set aside. , Add the cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.