Angel Food Cake

Prep Time: 25 hour                                  Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated white sugar
• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (130g) cake flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 large egg whites
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• optional: caster sugar for dusting, whipped cream, and fruits

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
   
   
2. Blend the sugar until fine and powdery. Set aside 1 cup to use in step 3; Add cake flour and salt to the food processor and pulse 5-10 times until sugar/flour/salt mixture is aerated and light.
   
   
3. In a large bowl using a hand or stand, whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute. Switch to medium-high and slowly add the 1 cup of sugar you set aside. Whip for about 5 – 6 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract, then beat just until incorporated.
   
   
4. In 3 additions, slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture using a fine-mesh strainer, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. To avoid deflating or a dense cake, don’t add the flour mixture all at once. Pour and spread batter into an ungreased 9-inch or 10-inch tube pan. Shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth down the surface.
   
   
5. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. The cake will rise very tall while baking. Remove from the oven, then cool the cake completely upside-down set on a wire rack for about 3 hours. Once cooled, run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake releases.
   
   
6. If desired, dust with caster sugar. Slice the cake with a sharp serrated knife.
   
   
7. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries and fig.