I love angel food cake. It is my favorite type of cake. When I was younger and just beginning to explore the realms of possibilities in developing my culinary expertise, I decided to conquer the Angel Food Cake first.
When you are an experienced cook you learn that there are some things that are very forgiving. This means that if the recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic but you want two–it really won’t affect the overall outcome of the dish–except to make it more garlicky. Then there are other recipes that are so delicate you treat them as fine china. They are not to be tinkered with and the mere thought of ‘making it better’ by adding this or that is an insult. You learn to choose your battles carefully.
Most angel food cake recipes come with detailed directions. For example, you not only beat the eggs, but you beat them until they’re foamy and frothy. . .about triple in size. It’s a detailed description and must be obeyed for your cake to turn out right. You learn to follow the directions.
Angel food cake is so named because of its delicate texture. . .it’s considered food for the angels and thus the name. My favorite way to eat it is simply plain. It has no fat, not as much sugar as other cakes and if done right. . .it’s a dish to die for. But it’s always good plain with a glass of milk. Most often, you find that less is more.
Eggs in the angel food cake recipe must always be beaten, and beaten, and beaten. In fact, that’s the secret to a good angel food cake. . .beating the eggs to the right consistency. You find that persistence pays off.
Angel food cake is best served after it’s cooled. It’s still delicious warm, but waiting until it’s cooled will help the crust become just slightly crispy and the whole cake will be the right texture. You find that good things come to those who wait.
So you see, making an angel food cake from scratch and enjoying it is really an exercise is life lessons! (At least that’s my excuse for indulging.) In any case, look tomorrow for a delicious angel food cake recipe using brown sugar instead of white sugar.
Have you seen the Families Winter 06 Cookbook Yet? Check it out:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Look for another one soon!