Angel cake : A friend from Italy showed me this recipe…
Angel cake is a famous American cake that owes its name to its extreme fluffiness and lightness, precisely because of these characteristics it has been called “angel food.” Already known in the early 1800s it was transcribed only at the end of the century, only to become very popular towards the end of the 19th century . According to one legend it was made by African-American slaves, precisely because strong, resilient arms were needed to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Ingredients for Angel cake:
- 160g (1 1/3 cups) Plain flour / All-purpose flour
- 480g (2 cups) Egg whites (about 12)
- 6g (1 1/2 teaspoons) Cream of tartar (or the same amount of baking powder)
- 270g (1 1/3 cups) Caster sugar / Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Bitter almond extract
- 1 Vanilla pod / Vanilla bean
- 4g (3/4 teaspoon) Fine salt
How to make Angel cake:
- Clean all tools thoroughly to ensure they are free of grease. Carefully separate egg whites from yolks, avoiding any yolk contamination.
- Place egg whites in a container for bain-marie cooking. Gently heat while stirring with a hand whisk.
- Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor temperature, aiming for 45°C (110°F). Once temperature is reached, transfer egg whites to a planetary mixer bowl.
- Start the mixer at medium speed. As egg whites begin to turn white, gradually add 200g of sugar.
- Add bitter almond extract and let it incorporate. Then add sifted cream of tartar.
- After a couple of minutes, add vanilla bean seeds and continue mixing until egg whites are puffy and foamy.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour. Add remaining 70g of sugar and salt to the flour.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the dry ingredients, mixing from top to bottom with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased angel cake or chiffon mold. Spread batter evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Bake in a preheated static oven at 190°C (370°F) for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness with a skewer; if it comes out dry, the cake is ready. Cool the cake upside down before serving.
