Freckled Angel

Freckled Angel
from Ellen's kitchen, thanks to Rose's Celebration

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups sugar (preferably superfine)
• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 16 large egg whites
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, grated

Preheat:

• oven to 350, with rack at lowest level.

In:

• a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour and salt and whisk to blend well.  Sift the remaining sugar and set aside.

In:

• stand mixer with whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy.  Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form when beater is raised.  Gradually beat in sifted sugar and beat until very stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.

Dust:

• flour mixture over beaten whites 1/4 cup at a time, and with wire whisk or rubber spatula, fold it in quickly but gently.  Don't incorporate every speck of each addition.  Add vanilla and grated chocolate and fold them in until evenly incorporated.

Spread:

• thin layer of batter onto sides of tube pan to ensure smooth sides. Pour rest of batter into pan.  Run knife through batter to prevent air pockets and smooth surface.  Bake for 40 minutes ur until golden brown.  

Immediately:

• invert pan, placing tube opening over neck or a soda or wine bottle to suspend it over counter, and cool about 1.5 hours.

Loosen:

• sides with long metal spatula and remove center core of pan.  Dislodge cake from bottom and center core with metal spatular of thin sharp knife.  Press against the sides of the pan. 

Cut:

• with serrated knife but hold cake gently without compressing.