Angel Food Cake

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 165°C / 330°F with a shelf in the lower third. Do not grease the tin.

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2. Sift the flour and cornflour with 100 g of the sugar three times. Three is not a typo — this is how the flour gets light enough to fold in without knocking out air.

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3. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on medium until foamy and opaque throughout.

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4. Raise the speed and add the remaining 200 g sugar a tablespoon at a time, taking a full 3 minutes, then whisk to firm peaks that just curl at the tip. Not stiff and dry.

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5. Whisk in the extracts on low for 10 seconds.

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6. Sift a third of the flour mixture over the meringue and fold with a large spatula, cutting down the middle and sweeping up the side, 8 or 9 strokes. Repeat twice more.

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7. Scrape into a 25 cm ungreased angel food tin, run a knife through the batter to pop large bubbles, and smooth the top.

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8. Bake 38 to 42 minutes, until deep gold, cracked on top and springy — a skewer comes out clean.

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9. Invert the tin immediately, hanging it on its feet or over the neck of a bottle, and leave it until stone cold, at least 90 minutes.

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10. Run a thin knife around the sides and centre tube to release, and cut with a serrated knife using a sawing motion.

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Chef’s Tips

• Separate the eggs cold, straight from the fridge, then let the whites come to room temperature. Cold yolks are firmer and less likely to break.
• Wipe the bowl and whisk with a cut lemon and dry them. Any grease at all and the whites will not whip.
• A non-stick or loose-based tin will not work: the batter needs a rough, ungreased surface to climb.

Pairing Suggestions

• Macerated strawberries
• Lemon curd
• Very cold champagne

Storage & Reheating

Loosely covered at room temperature for 2 days — it dries fast and refrigeration dries it faster. It freezes surprisingly well, whole, for 1 month.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.