Angel Food Cake

Angel Food Cake!!
recipe courtesy Alton Brown (http://www.foodnetwork.com/)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice **I used half almond, half lemon extract**
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. **I didn't do this but instead put the sugar through my sifter a couple of times. OR they sell superfine sugar...just didn't have any** Sift half of the sugar with the salt and cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
In a large bowl (aka Kitchen Aid!), use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. **I haven't had a hand held mixer in years...just did it all in the Kitchen Aid) Slowly add the reserved sugar, beating continuously at
medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of thefoam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

**That part seems scary, but after doing it once of twice it's easy and fun. I've also seen it done a lot (thank you Ina) or you can watch a video on YouTube.**

Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

Now ladies, I have "made" an angel food  cake 5 times now. Only 2 (or maybe 3) did NOT collapse. This one was by far my best yet!! I think it just took some practice and a beautiful day. It was also the first time I got my eggs to room temp...I just put them in warm water to speed it up. It does make the yolk break more easily though, so be careful. I tiny bit of yolk (so they say) can ruin it.

And guess what?!

 The grocery store sells angel food cakes all the time for cheap!

So if you don't want to bake one, go buy one, put on some fresh strawberries and no one will ever know.

This is just something I love to do because I like to secretly pretend that I'm a chef/baker and my husband loves, loves, loves homemade angel food cake and I love making him smile.

Enjoy

And of course, some pictures!

The leftovers:

What to do with 12 egg yolks?

It didn't collapse and it was yuuummmmmy. I will say that the part that is really worth making it from scratch if the crispy topping.

Delicious.

And some bonus shots of our trip to the park last week. This weather has been beautiful!