It is preferable to underbeat egg whites slightly than to overbeat them. Overbeaten egg whites look lumpy and dull and form big white clumps if you try to fold them into another mixture.
These are the cakes that will hook you on baking. As impressive as these angel-food, chiffon and sponge cakes look, they are surprisingly simple to put together. Once you know how to whip eggs to a fluffy stage, you have the key to success for all of them. Most of these cakes have no added leavening, but depend on the air beaten into egg whites, egg yolks or whole eggs for their high rise and tender texture. It's the air beaten into the eggs and the evaporation of steam during baking that lift and lighten them.
These lighter-than-air cakes contain little or no fat and fall into three basic categories. Angel-food cake is simply whipped egg whites, sugar, flour and flavorings, without any added leavening. Chiffon cake batters include whipped egg whites, whipped egg yolks and, for their leavening, baking powder. The addition of some oil as well as the egg yolks enriches the batter and makes a moist, light cake with a fine texture. Sponge cakes have whole eggs that are beaten to an airy foam. Some sponge cake batters include ground nuts, which add flavor and produce an especially moist cake.
Beating egg whites to the proper consistency for these cakes is simply a matter of watching them carefully. Egg whites do not whip properly if there is any fat present, so whip them in a clean grease-free bowl and remove even one speck of egg yolk. I use a hand-held mixer and move it around the bowl so all of the egg whites receive an even beating. As egg whites whip, they change from a pale yellow color to pure white. Beat egg whites with some cream of tartar, which is an acid that helps stabilize the delicate foam.
When egg whites are beaten properly, they look smooth, wet and shiny and form soft peaks. To check egg whites to see if they have reached this stage, stop the mixer for a moment and lift the beaters out of the mixture. If the egg whites are ready, they will cling to the beaters and form a soft point or peak. The movement of the beaters will form a pattern of lines in the egg-white mixture. The larger the quantity of egg whites to be whipped, the longer the process takes.
When sugar is added to beaten egg whites, it stabilizes the foam and the mixture can sit for a little while before being used. Begin adding any sugar just as the egg whites reach the soft-peak stage, and add it slowly so the egg whites will have time to absorb it. It is preferable to underbeat egg whites slightly than to overbeat them. Overbeaten egg whites look lumpy and dull and form big white clumps if you try to fold them into another mixture.
Beating whole eggs or egg yolks for chiffon and sponge cakes is even easier than beating egg whites. Since the egg yolks contain fat, they are almost impossible to overwhip. Use a hand-held mixer to beat the eggs with sugar, if sugar is called for in the recipe, until a thick and fluffy mixture forms.
Think "gentle" when combining whipped eggs with other ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to combine a light mixture with a heavier one by lifting them gently up and over each other. This folding technique preserves the air that has been carefully whipped into the eggs. I often use a hand-held mixer on low speed to incorporate flour into beaten egg whites.
Chiffon and angel-food cakes bake in ungreased tube pans. They climb slowly up the pan as they bake and stay put. Absentmindedly, I once forgot and greased a tube pan for a chiffon cake. It rose quickly and unusually high, formed a big air pocket, then collapsed as soon as it came out of the oven.
Sponge cakes are done when the top feels firm when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Angel-food and chiffon cakes are done when the top is golden and forms a few cracks. Chiffon cakes can also be tested with toothpick. A few additional minutes of baking will not harm them.
For these and all cakes baked in a tube pan, invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle to let the cake cool thoroughly. This allows air to circulate around the cake as it cools. Find a bottle with a neck that the tube pan will fit over before you put the batter in the pan. Use a filled bottle that will not tip over. As fragile as these cakes seem before they bake, once they cool they become quite sturdy, and you can serve them with pride for at least 3 days. Almond Angel Cake (12 servings)
The batter for this cake looks like a fluffy white cloud and bakes into a pure white, moist cake that has the unexpected bonus of having no fat. I drizzle the cake with an almond-flavor glaze, but a dusting of confectioners' sugar works as well. For a clear almond flavor, use bottles labeled pure almond extract. There are special angel-food cake pans with a center tube and a removable bottom, but a tube pan with a solid bottom works fine.
For the Cake:
1 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups egg whites at room temperature (about 11 large)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Glaze (optional):
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have ready a 9 1/2- or 10-inch tube pan with at least 3-inch-high sides. If the pan does not have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.
For the cake: Sift the cake flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar together. Set aside.
Use a hand-held electric mixer to beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl on medium speed until they are foamy. On high speed, continue beating the egg whites until they look shiny and smooth and the movement of the beaters forms lines in the mixture. At this point the whites should cling to the beaters. Slowly beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, then beat the mixture for 1 minute longer. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
On low speed, mix in the flour mixture by sprinkling it over the egg whites 1/2 cup at a time. Incorporate each addition before adding more flour. Be sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated. Then pour the batter into the tube pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden and feels firm when touched.
Invert the pan onto a narrow-necked bottle to cool thoroughly upside down for about 90 minutes. Use a small sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides and the center tube of the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and discard any paper lining the bottom. Turn the cake right-side up and slide it onto a serving plate.
For the glaze: Stir the confectioners' sugar, cream and almond extract together until smooth. Use a small spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting some glaze drip down onto the sides. The covered cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Per serving: 214 calories, 4 gm protein, 46 gm carbohydrates, 2 gm fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 98 mg sodium Orange Daffodil Cake With Orange Cream (12 servings)
A blend of golden sponge cake and white angel-food cake forms a striking pattern reminiscent of daffodils in the snow. By alternating spoonfuls of the two batters in the pan, you initiate the unique design the cake forms as it bakes. It is the addition of egg yolks to a portion of the angel-food cake batter that produces the two batters. I found many versions of this old-fashioned cake in my collection of old cookbooks, with the oldest recipe dating back to 1933, and I suspect that thrifty cooks originated this cake as a way of using some of the egg yolks left from baking angel-food cakes.
For the Cake:
Can I lose 10kg in 5 days?
An easy diet plan can help you lose weight permanently in less than a week. It is based on the consumption of certain foods and a solid intake of...
1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature (about 10 large)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Cream Topping:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 1/4 cups cold heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready a 9 1/2- or 10-inch tube pan with at least 3-inch-high sides. If the pan does not have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.
For the cake: Sift 1 cup of the cake flour with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract and the orange zest in a large bowl on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture thickens and lightens from a dark to a light golden color. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl on medium speed until they are foamy. On high speed, beat the egg whites until the movement of the beaters forms lines in the mixture. At this point the whites should cling to the beaters. Slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, then beat the mixture for 1 minute longer. Mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and the almond extract. On low speed, mix in the reserved flour mixture by sprinkling it over the egg whites 1/4 cup at a time. Incorporate each addition before adding more flour. Be sure to incorporate all the flour mixture.
Use a rubber spatula to gently fold 1/3 of the egg-white mixture, about 2 1/2 cups, into the reserved egg-yolk mixture. You now have two bowls of batter. Transfer the two batters into the tube pan by alternating first a large spoonful of yellow batter and then white batter. Do not mix them together.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until the top of the cake feels firm to your touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top of the cake will be golden.
Invert the pan onto a narrow-necked bottle to cool thoroughly upside down for about 90 minutes. Use a small sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides and the center tube of the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and discard any paper lining the bottom. Turn the cake right-side up and slide it onto a serving plate.
For the orange cream: Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice in a small saucepan. Stir in the sugar and butter and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Increase the heat and boil the mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the orange zest. Cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, about 3 hours or overnight.
When the orange sauce is thoroughly chilled, beat it and the cream together in a large bowl on high speed until mixture begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar and continue beating until firm peaks form and the cream holds its shape. Spread the orange cream over the top, sides and center hole of the cake. Serve the cake cold. The covered cake can be stored in the refrigerator overnight.
Per serving: 303 calories, 6 gm protein, 41 gm carbohydrates, 13 gm fat, 143 mg cholesterol, 7 gm saturated fat, 104 mg sodium Chocolate Chiffon Cake (12 servings)
It has been more than 50 years since Harry Baker made his "secret recipe" orange chiffon cake for private Hollywood parties. In 1947, he sold the recipe to General Mills and revealed his secret. Baker's cake turned out to be a combination of a light angel-food cake batter and moist sponge-cake batter. His method added oil to produce an extremely light-textured, moist cake, and his method turns out to be as simple as combining a whipped egg-white mixture with a whipped egg-yolk mixture. The oil produces a heavier batter so chiffon cake recipes include baking powder to ensure a light texture. Mixing this cake is pure pleasure and makes me think of what it must be like to fold clouds together.
For the Cake:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
7 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the Chocolate Topping:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in pieces
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have ready a 9 1/2- or 10-inch tube pan with at least 3-inch-high sides. If the pan does not have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.
For the cake: Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and put in the oil, egg yolks and vanilla along with 3/4 cup water. Beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth and thick. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with clean beaters in a clean large bowl on medium speed until they are foamy and the cream of tartar is dissolved. On high speed, beat the egg whites until the movement of the beaters forms lines in the mixture. At this point the whites should cling to the beaters. Slowly beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, then beat the mixture for 1 minute more. Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then use a rubber spatula to fold in the remaining egg whites just until no white streaks remain.
Pour the batter into the tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, until the top of the cake feels firm to your touch and any cracks in the top look dry.
Invert the pan onto a narrow-necked bottle to cool thoroughly upside down for about 90 minutes. Use a small sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides and the center tube of the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and discard any paper lining the bottom. Turn the cake right-side up and slide it onto a serving plate.
For the chocolate topping: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or use a container set over, but not touching, barely simmering water in a saucepan. Stir the mixture until smooth. Use a small spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cake, letting some chocolate drip down the sides. Serve the cake at room temperature. The covered cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Per serving: 349 calories, 6 gm protein, 45 gm carbohydrates, 18 gm fat, 132 mg cholesterol, 5 gm saturated fat, 132 mg sodium Walnut Roll With Rum Whipped Cream (12 servings)
Walnuts replace most of the flour in this sponge cake recipe, producing a nutty texture that is especially moist. The cake is baked in a jellyroll pan, which is a baking sheet with 1-inch-high sides. It's filled and covered with rum-flavor whipped cream. It is not necessary to butter this shallow pan.
For the Cake:
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup ground walnuts
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
For the Filling and Topping:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
12 walnut halves for the top
How long does it take to lose visceral fat on keto?
How Quickly Does Ketosis Burn Belly Fat? Once your body is in ketosis, weight loss and fat loss could be rapid for some people and a little slower...
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-by-1-inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
For the cake: Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large bowl on high speed until thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with clean beaters in a clean large bowl on medium speed until they are foamy. On high speed, continue beating until the movement of the beaters forms lines in the mixture and the whites cling to the beaters if they are lifted out of the mixture. Slowly beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the egg-yolk mixture into the egg-white mixture. Gently fold in the ground walnuts. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes until the top of the cake feels firm to your touch.
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a strainer to sift the 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar evenly over the top. Invert the baked sponge sheet onto a clean dish towel. The long side of the cake should be parallel to the edge of the counter. Carefully peel the paper off the pan and place it back on the cake. Roll up the cake in the dish towel to form a 15 1/2-inch log. Let the cake cool in the towel for 1 to 2 hours.
For the filling and topping: Beat the cream, cinnamon, rum, vanilla and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl on high speed until firm peaks form and the movement of the beaters forms lines in the cream. Unroll the cooled sponge sheet. Discard the paper liner. Trim any crisp edges. Leaving a 1-inch edge free of the cream, spread a thin layer of the whipped cream mixture over the cake. Roll up the cake again like a jellyroll, using the towel to help you. Place the cake on a long, narrow platter, seam-side down. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the cake. Arrange the walnut halves evenly along the top of the cake. Serve cold. The covered cake can be stored in the refrigerator overnight.
Per serving: 277 calories, 5 gm protein, 21 gm carbohydrates, 20 gm fat, 112 mg cholesterol, 8 gm saturated fat, 78 mg sodium Coffee Lovers Cake (12 servings)
Made with whipped whole eggs, this sponge cake includes hot milk. The hot liquid cooks the eggs slightly, stabilizes the fluffy batter and consistently produces a moist yet light cake. I butter pans for sponge cakes and line them with paper. After the two cake layers are filled with a soft coffee buttercream frosting, the cake is covered with a smooth coffee icing.
Butter for the pan
For the Cake:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
6 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
For the Filling:
4 ounces (1 stick) soft unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
For the Icing:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ounces ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of two 2-inch-deep, 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment or wax paper and butter the paper.
For the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot, about 150 degrees on a food thermometer. Do not let the milk boil.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl on medium speed just to combine the yolks and whites. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for about 4 minutes until the mixture is fluffy, thick and lightened in color. Mix in the vanilla and dissolved coffee. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated. Then slowly add the hot milk and mix for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth. The batter will be thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until the top feels firm when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the layers for 5 minutes in the pans. Use a small sharp knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the layers onto a wire rack and discard the paper liner. Turn the cake layers right-side up to cool completely for about 1 hour.
For the filling: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and dissolved coffee in a medium bowl until smooth. Put 1 of the cake layers top-side up on a cake plate. Tuck wax-paper strips just an inch or so under the bottom of the cake all the way around to keep the plate clean. Spread the filling over the top of the cake layer. Top with the second layer.
For the icing: Heat 1/2 cup water with the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Then boil the mixture on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Add the hot mixture and dissolved coffee and use a whisk to mix the icing smooth. Refrigerate the icing for about 1 hour or until it is cool to the touch and firm enough to spread. Spread the icing smoothly over the top and sides of the cake. Gently pull out and discard the wax-paper strips.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days and serve cold or at room temperature.
Per serving: 446 calories, 5 gm protein, 75 gm carbohydrates, 15 gm fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 8 gm saturated fat, 91 mg sodium Elinor Klivans's latest book is "Bake and Freeze Chocolate Desserts (Broadway, $25). Bright Ideas for Beginning Baking
* Cake flour is low in gluten and produces a more tender crumb than all-purpose flour. Cake flour is sold in boxes and can be found in the baking sections of supermarkets.
* Buy pure almond extract that is made from bitter almond oil. It is now available in supermarkets.
* I use a hand-held electric mixer to beat these cakes. A standing electric mixer will do the job in slightly less beating time.
* Some of these cakes depend on specific and large amounts of egg whites for their success. Measuring the egg whites rather than counting them ensures having the proper amount.
* Large amounts of egg whites beat to a larger volume if the egg whites are cool rather than cold. Let them sit at room temperature for one to two hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
* To fold two mixtures together, stir a little of the lighter mixture into the heavier one to lighten the heavier mixture. Then add the remainder of the lighter mixture and use a large rubber spatula to dig down to the bottom of the bowl and bring the two mixtures up and over each other. Use a large bowl and turn the bowl as you fold so that the mixtures are blended quickly.
* Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to cut these soft cakes into slices without crushing them.
Keto Means
Photo: cottonbro studio
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion