Citrus angel food cake recipe from "The Seasonal Baker"

Citrus Angel Food Cake from "The Seasonal Baker" by John Barricelli /Photo by Ben FinkWhipping up an angel food cake at home can be an intimidating prospect for anyone who is inexperienced with kitchen techniques such as beating egg whites to stiff peaks.

Then there’s the challenge of keeping the the delicate meringue nice and airy by gently “folding” in the flour and other ingredients. But once the egg whites are beaten until they’ve more than quadrupled in volume and can hold a soft, peaked shape at the tip of an upturned mixer blade, the cake isn’t really so complicated. Many angel food recipes also require the whites of a dozen eggs, and that creates a quandary for those who couldn’t bear to pour 12 yolks down the drain, risk the cholesterol consequences of egg-yolk omeletes, or find some other way to save them.

In his new cookbook “The Seasonal Baker” (Clarkson Potter, $35), John Barricelli has some answers. He refreshes the tried and true cake with orange, lemon and lime —  topping the cake with a sweet, zesty glaze. Stand-up whites are easier to accomplish with the addition of cream of tartar and beating over a double boiler, which allows gentle heat to help dissolve sugar so the whites whip higher for the lightest cake.

As for the leftover yolks, all 12 can be blended into Barricelli’s hazelnut semifreddo, a creamy frozen treat that doesn’t require an ice cream maker.  Nutella can be substituted for the high-end hazelnut praline paste Barricelli prefers, but many home bakers also give high marks to the sweetened Brooklyn-made nut butter that sells for about $14 for 11 ounces at kingarthurflour. com. The paste would be a worthwhile splurge for the holidays, as it can be used for hazelnut cakes, cookies, cheesecake, fillings and frostings.

In addition to the egg yolks and nut paste, the uber-rich semifreddo has the fat of heavy cream, hazelnuts and chocolate. One could think of it as a tempting dessert devil, compared to the cake’s angel.

Barricelli, who owns SoNo bakery in South Norwalk, Connecticut, is a third-generation baker who is best know for his role in Martha Stewart’s “Everyday Food” series, for which he also hosted “Everyday Baking.” Many dessert — and dinner — recipes from the Culinary Institute of America-trained baker remain available at PBS.org.

"The Sesaonal Baker" by John Barricelli

“The Seasonal Baker” is filled with delicious ways to use fruits and vegetables. Barricelli often puts a new spin on tradition, such as the cranberry-apple tassies that make over the beloved nut-filled variety.  Cookbook options range from breakfast treats, such as a five-fruit granola or strawberry-pecan coffee cake, to fruit-favoring dishes such as pears poached in red wine or spiced pineapples.

Among treats in the chapter on cookies and bars is an easy recipe for French mendiants. Here, fine chocolate is melted and poured into slim disks that beautifully anchor an assemblage of dried fruit and nuts. His version, perfect for easy but impressive holiday giving, features cuts of dried apricots, cherries and cranberries with pistachios, almonds and candied orange peel.

Barricelli enjoys tangy flavors, so several of his recipes for cakes, pies and other desserts include citrus or buttermilk. There’s buttermilk panna cotta with raspberries, lemon-buttermilk sherbert and a citrus buttermilk custard pie as well as buttermilk pancakes and waffles.

The cookbook begins with a discussion of seasonal ingredients, with tips on buying, storing and preparing produce. Baricelli also suggests tools and ingredients that should be on hand in the baker’s pantry. In addition to the sweets, there are recipes for focaccias, tarts and other savory baked meals. Imaginative pizzas include a salad pizza whose grilled crust is topped with prosciutto, arugula, goat cheese and cherry tomatoes.

Citrus Angel Food Cake recipe
Makes one 10-inch tube cake

12 large egg whites (1½ to 1¾ cups), at room temperature

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon orange extract

1 cup cake flour, sifted

For citrus glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice, or as needed (from 2 lemons)

Zest of 1 orange, in long strands

Zest of 1 lemon, in long strands

Zest of 1 lime, in long strands

Note: A lemon zester, a small tool with sharp round holes in the head that strips off long, thin ribbons of zest, is useful for making the glaze. Be sure to zest the citrus before cutting and juicing it.

 
1. Set the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the cake: Bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler. Combine the eggs whites, ¾ cup of the sugar, the lemon juice, cream of tartar, salt, and orange extract in the bowl of a standing mixer. Whisk over the simmering water until the whites are hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the mixer stand and beat with the whisk attachment until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat the whites; they should be stiff, but not dry. With a large rubber spatula, fold in the flour and the remaining ¾ cup sugar.

3. Scrape the batter into an unbuttered 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom, preferably nonstick. Tap the filled pan a couple of times on the countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake on a baking sheet until the cake springs back when touched and is lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Do not rotate while baking.

4. Invert the pan on its legs and let cool for 1 hour. Set the pan back on the bottom and use your fingers to gently pull the cake away from the sides of the pan to release it. Invert the pan on a wire rack and remove the rim. Gently pull the cake away from the bottom and from around the center tube, and carefully remove the tube. Let the cake cool entirely on the rack.

5. To make the glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in the orange, lemon, and lime zests. (The icing should be fairly thin. If it’s too thick, add a little more lemon juice.)

6. Place a baking sheet under the cooling rack. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing the excess to drip onto the baking sheet. Let the glaze dry completely, about 30 minutes. Cut the cake into wedges with a serrated knife or angel food cake cutter, and serve.

Nutrition information (per 1/16 slice): 147 calories, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 34g carbs, 0g fiber, 26g sugars, 3g protein

John Barricelli's tips for making angel food cakes

Preparing the pan: Never butter the pan; the pan must be dry so that the batter will cling and rise. It’s best to use a nonstick pan.

Beating the whites: When you heat the egg whites, be sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the simmering water; if it does, the whites will cook and the texture will be grainy when you beat it. You’ll need at least a 4-quart bowl on your standing mixer to handle the volume of whites. Beat the whites until stiff but not dry; overbeaten whites will not produce the fluffy cake that you want. A little lemon juice helps to lighten the egg whites, and it keeps them nice and white when baked.

Unmolding the cake: So as not to tear the delicate cake, use your fingers rather than a knife to loosen the cooled cake from the pan.