has anyone made angel food cake before?

shellydiane820

How long does it take beating the egg whites?


...that sounds bad.

nda_roxybabe

Mmmmm

ashmy211

No I haven't but now I want some

salt78

Until it gets stiff. Heh.

No seriously, until you get stiff peaks. Use an electric mixer if you have it. 

shellydiane820

I'm using my kitchen aid mixer.  Its been going on speed 6.  I'm not getting the peaks

ohwhynot

IIRC, it takes longer than you'd ever think reasonable.  The egg whites will need to go beyond the "shiny" stage and into a kind of dry-looking stage and be really stiff before they'll aerate the batter properly. 

salt78

Keep beating, Shelly!!! You can do it!!!

laurenclaire1386

Turn it up to 11

But seriously, when you need stiff peaks, it takes longer than you think it should. I always beat them on the highest speed and it's usually for about 7-8 minutes.

shellydiane820

I'm getting tired! Phew!

I just felt the bowl its a little cold, that's worrying me.  My egg whites were sitting out for about a half hour.

skippylouwho

Buy a box mix. seriously, they are as good as making it from scratch and much easier.

shellydiane820

I'm beating faster...we're getting somewhere now

...oh I couldn't help myself!

shellydiane820

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_anyone-made-angel-food-cake-before?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:1306c733-f08c-4e52-97d7-f1aa0e5a9b1ePost:86ca4fbc-7c25-49fa-a13a-5ee994351985">Re: has anyone made angel food cake before?</a>:
[QUOTE]Buy a box mix. seriously, they are as good as making it from scratch and much easier.
Posted by skippylouwho[/QUOTE]
  But its not the same :(

I love baking, but I've never made angel food.

laurenclaire1386

How are you at folding batters? It sucks to ruin those fluffy peaks and beat all the air out of the batter by stirring instead of folding. Be careful.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

My grandmother used to let it cool by hanging the pan over a 2 liter bottle, upside down.

/ My knowledge of angel food cake.

brookelynpaisley

Good for you Shelly. I've never attempted angel food. Good luck!

shellydiane820

It turned out really well.

Except for the removal from pan.  But I did get to try to try a chunk bc it didn't come out of the pan.  It tasted really good.  The outside is really sweet and flaky and the inside is super soft.  I'm proud of myself!

Stackeye210

YUM.  I wish I could bake.  MIL makes an AWESOME angel food cake. 

shellydiane820

I can bake just fine, but I am always intimidated by anything that has to do with beating egg whites.  I'm not very patient, and in the past I've messed up from trying to rush it.

I might attempt meringue again.

antimony

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_anyone-made-angel-food-cake-before?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:1306c733-f08c-4e52-97d7-f1aa0e5a9b1ePost:fd4ee38c-5c0b-4f24-b34c-9d0e3d7f7831">Re: has anyone made angel food cake before?</a>:
[QUOTE]My grandmother used to let it cool by hanging the pan over a 2 liter bottle, upside down. / My knowledge of angel food cake.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]

Yes, all sponge and angel food cakes should be cooled by setting up on a bottle like that.  It's to keep it stretched out while it's still cooling because if it's upside down in the pan, it could deflate some, and if you put it just flat on the counter, there will be condensation building up and making it soggy.  (Setting it down so that the center has air circulating (like turning two pots upside down and perching it in between) but not doing the bottle trick also works, but is less nifty-looking.)