← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 120 g cake flour or plain flour
• 300 g caster (superfine) sugar, divided
• 12 large egg whites (about 420 g), at room temperature
• 1½ tsp Cream of tartar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ½ tsp Almond extract (optional)
• 300 g fresh berries, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan, 350°F) with a shelf in the lower third. Have ready an ungreased 25 cm tube (angel food) tin; the batter must cling to the sides to rise.
2. Sift the flour with 100 g of the sugar twice, so it is very light.
3. In a large, spotless bowl, whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy, then whisk in the remaining 200 g sugar a spoonful at a time until the whites hold soft, glossy peaks that droop at the tip. Whisk in the vanilla (and almond extract).
4. Sift the flour mixture over the whites in four additions, folding gently with a big spatula after each just until no streaks remain.
5. Spoon into the tin, run a knife through the batter to pop large air pockets and smooth the top. Bake for 40–45 min until golden, cracked on top and springy to the touch.
6. Immediately turn the tin upside down (over a bottle neck if it has no feet) and leave to cool completely, about 1½ hours. Run a thin knife round the sides and centre to release it, and cut with a serrated knife.

Tips

• Any trace of yolk or grease stops the whites whipping; use the 12 leftover yolks for custard, lemon curd or carbonara.
• Cooling it upside down keeps the cake from collapsing under its own weight.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

King Arthur Baking BBC Food