Dessert... on angels wings

When it comes to cake, my favorite is angel food. It's light and airy, simple and straightforward, and not too sweet or too rich so you can enjoy a nice big slice. Making such a delicate cake from scratch might seem daunting, but really the hardest part is simply beating the egg whites into submission.

Here are a few tricks I've found that make all the difference:

1. I save the extra egg whites from all the dishes that call for yolks (cakes, cookies, choux pastry, egg nog). I separate the whites into a small bowl, then when I am confident no yolk (yellow) got into the egg white, I put it into a small glass jar that I keep in the freezer. If the yolk broke don't use it for angel food, it won't whip up right.
2. Start with nearly room temperature degree egg whites, it really does make all the difference when whipping them. So give them time to warm up a bit.
3. Make sure the bowl and whisk are squeaky clean! Grease prevents the whites from whipping up properly.
4. Sifting the dry goods really does make a difference, you can use a screen-type strainer but don't skip this step.
5. If you don't already have a stand mixer, call in some reinforcements to help you hold the hand mixer - your arm will thank you.
6. Use a dash of amaretto! It adds a really nice warmth to the final cake, and doesn't taste like almonds at all.
7. Don't grease the pan! It will end in flat, dense ruin.

Here's my favorite recipe for angel food cake, from scratch.

My favorite is to enjoy it with whipped cream and fresh blueberries, or as pictured topped with sweet, tangy rhubarb sauce - or a plain slice for breakfast!