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This recipe comes from my husband's hero, Alton Brown. He's a great go-to guy for the science behind the art of baking.
What You'll Need
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cake flour, sifted
- 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
- 1/3 cup warm water (optional)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a the workbowl of a food processor
spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine.
- Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
- In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. (You can also do this with your stand mixer).
- Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam.
- Using a spatula fold in gently.
- Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated--about three additions.
- Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan.
- Gently cut down through the batter with a knife to get rid of any large air pockets.
- Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
- Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan. Cooling the cake upside down helps ensure that the delicate structure won't collapse as it cools.
Cook's Note: Since they're easier to separate, use the freshest eggs you can get. Separate them when cold and then let the whites come up to room temperature before whipping.
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