small batch baking: angel food cake

these cakes have authentic homemade flavor and are lowfat, just like the full-size versions. so when you are watching your weight, these little angels will become your standby dessert. you can dress them up by serving fresh berries with them instead of a glaze -- or use both.

the standard angel food cake, cooked in a tube pan, is placed upside down over a bottle to cool so it will maintain it's height while it cools. we do the same thing here with the muffin pan, so you'll need to position two or three soft drink or water bottles on the counter to hold the inverted pan as the cakes cool.

makes 2 cakes; serves 2

3 tbs sifted caked flour
4 tbs superfine sugar (see note)
dash of ground nutmeg
whites of 2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

pan required: 1 jumbo muffin pan (3/4 cup capacity; don't use a nonstick pan)

1. place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. set aside an ungreased jumbo muffin pan.
2. place flour, 2 tbs superfine sugar and the nutmeg in a small bowl and whisk to blend well.
3. place the egg whites, slat and vanilla in a medium-size bowl mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed until the whites are frothy, about 5 seconds. sprinkle cream of tartar over the whites and beat until soft peaks fold over when the mixer is turned off and the beaters are lifted, 20 - 30 seconds. with the mixer running, gradually sprinkle the remaining 2 tbs superfine sugar over hte whites and beat on high speed until the egg whites are glossy about 45 seconds; they should form stiff peaks when the mixer is turned off and the beaters are lifted.
4. sift half of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it in gently with a rubber spatula. fold in the remaining flour mixture. spoon the better into 2 of the ungreased muffin cups, dividing it evenly between them. the cups will completely filled. fill the empty muffin cups halfway with water to prevent them from scorching.
5. bake the cakes for 15 minutes. then drape a piece of aluminum foil over the cakes to prevent them from browning too much, and continue baking until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched in the center, another 5 to 10 minutes.
6. remove the muffin pan from the oven. carefully pour the water out of the muffin cups and then turn the pan upside down and place it on bottles to cool completely (place the tops of a couple liter bottles into empty muffin cups so that the pan is greased, the cakes won't fall out).
7. to remove the cakes from the muffin pan, loosen the edges with a small rubber spatula or a table knife, pulling the edges away from the sides of the muffin cups. place the cakess on serving plates.
note: if you can't find superfine sugar you can make it: simply process 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a blender until it is ground superfine -- pulsing it about 6 times. then measure out 1/4 cup.

p.s. see earlier recipe with quinoa (it has tart cherries -- yum!).