Angel Food Cake

 I have always wanted to make an angel food cake.  I thought they were complicated and tempermental.  I couldn't have been more wrong!  I read this book titled "Notes on Cooking" A short guide to an essential craft by Lauren Braun Costello and Russell Reich.  It was one of my many bathtub reads.  A section in the book is called 'mise en place' which means 'put in place'.  That phrase has been a great help.  The chapter talks about having all your things in order, in place, ready to go when you are cooking.  So many times the mixer is running...and I am trying to hurry and separate eggs or find something to add..and if I remember to 'mise en place' things go much more smoothly.  As you can tell by the picture above..I have 'mise en place'.  I know...a miracle!

Angle Food Cake

1 cup sifted cake flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup egg whites (about12)

1 1/2 tsp cream of tatar

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

Sift together cake flour and 3/4 cup sugar. 

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy.  Add 3/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp at a time beating at high until stiff glossy peaks form.  Blend in vanilla and almond extracts. 

Add flour mixture in 4 parts, folding about 15 strokes after each addition.  Spoon batter into ungreased 10" tube pan.  Pull metal spatula through batter once to break large air bubbles. 

Bake in 375 degree oven 35 minutes or until cake tests done.  Invert tube pan on funnel or bottle to cool.  When completely cooled, remove from pan.  Makes 12 servings.

I did measure the whites!

 All mixed and ready to put in pan....

 light and fluffy...

 Doesn't that look fabulous!

 The Coke bottle.  I had John go get me a bottle of Coke...he brought me  a plastic bottle of coke.  I explained to him that I needed a glass bottle...he came through!  I saved it in the back corner of the cupboard!

 Baked and inverted on fancy schmancy Coke bottle!

I ran a knife around the edges of the pan and it came out perfectly!  I used to buy these from the bakery at the grocery store.  Let me tell you, homemade is far more most delicious!  It is one of my favorite cakes now!