- Mar 8th 2011
- 0 comment
Tags: Recipes , Christmas, Dessert, Pastry; Cakes & Biscuits, Vegetarian
Tools: Stand Mixers
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) plain cake flour*
- ½ cup (90g) pure icing sugar
- 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- good pinch salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- few drops almond extract or essence
- 1 cup caster sugar
- pure icing sugar, extra, for dusting
- selection fresh strawberries, berries and/or blackberries
- ¼ cup caster sugar, extra
- ½ tsp grated lemon zest
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Thoroughly wash and dry an angel food cake tin (the tin must be clean and dry). Do not grease.
- Attach the flat beater to the stand mixer. Place the flour and icing sugar into the mixing bowl. Attach the pouring shield. Turn to speed 1 and mix until combined. Remove from the bowl and set aside.
- Wash and dry the mixing bowl. Attach the whisk to the mixer and place the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and extracts into the clean bowl. Whisk on speed 6 to soft peaks, increase to speed 8 adding the caster sugar about ¼ cup at a time and continue beating until a very firm and glossy meringue results.
- Reduce to speed 1 and quickly scatter over 1/3 of the flour sugar mixture that is set aside. Mix for 6 seconds or until flour is just mixed in, repeat with the remaining flour. Do not over mix. If necessary quickly and lightly run a spatula around the bowl and fold any flour through the mixture.
- Pour into the ungreased pan, smooth the top and bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden and just firm.
- Invert pan and stand upside down on a cooling rack. Leave until completely cool. Run a metal spatula or knife around the cake to release it from the sides and base. Dust heavily with icing sugar and serve with the tossed berries.
- For the berries: cut larger berries in half. Combine with the sugar and lemon. Chill for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Angel food tins are a special tin and essential when making this cake.
- The tin is high-sided (approximately 16-18cm) with a funnel in the centre. Available from specialty cookware stores.
Tags: Recipes , Christmas, Dessert, Pastry; Cakes & Biscuits, Vegetarian
Tools: Stand Mixers