Hazelnut Angel Food Cake

One 10” Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups white sugar (1 cup and ½ cup in two stages)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup hazelnut flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill)

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 ½ tsps Chinese Five-Spice Powder (less can be used, if preferred)

• 1 ½ cups egg whites at room temperature (about 11-12 eggs)

• 1 tsp cream of tartar

• 2 tsps warm water

• 2 tsp vanilla paste or extract

• ¼ cup confectioners sugar to dust finished cake

1) Bring your egg white to room temperature.

2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3) Wash your angel food cake pan to make sure there is no dust or grease. Dry completely.

4) Whisk together the all-purpose and hazelnut flours, ½ cup white sugar, salt and five-spice powder.

5) In a standing mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Dissolve the cream of tartar in the water and add to the foamy egg whites. Beat on medium high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer going, add the vanilla and then gradually add the 1 cup remaining sugar until glossy and stiff peaks stay in form when you lift the balloon whisk from the mixer.

6) Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula, ¼ cup at a time, doing your best not to deflate the meringue.

7) Gently transfer the batter into the angel food cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until top is nicely browned and cake feels firm to the touch.

8) Remove the pan from the oven and turn upside down until the cake is completely cool. This could take one hour.

9) Cut the cake from the pan and let dry 30 minutes. Sift confectioners sugar over the top of the cooled cake.