Egg whites on their way to greatness . . .

ANGEL FOOD CAKE, ANYONE?

1 dozen large egg whites
1 cup cake flour
1 1/4 cup super-fine sugar, separated
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean, if desired
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Use a 10 inch by 2 inch "tube" pan with a removable bottom, aka "Angel food cake" pan, or I used a regular bundt pan. (I have to admit, I had my fingers crossed the whole time, hoping it would come out)

First, separate your eggs.

Then sift the cake flour and 1/4 cup of the sugar together, do this 4 times (your diligence will be rewarded).

In a separate small bowl, sift together the salt and cream of tartar.

Using a large bowl (your stand mixer will work perfectly), start beating the egg whites on medium-high speed. When they are "frothy", after about 1 or 2 minutes,

add the vanilla and almond extracts, the vanilla beans, and the cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating until you have stiff peaks, about 9 to 12 minutes.

**Be careful not to overbeat your whites, the should be glossy and smooth!**

Then, slowly add the sugar, approximately 2 Tablespoons at a time. Keep your beaters, or mixer, on high and scrape the sides of your bowl as needed.

**Again, your patience and attention to this will be rewarded with a light and fluffy cake. You just spent 9 to 12 minutes creating this lovely, fluffy, airy goodness, so if you add all the sugar at once, or even too much at once, the weight of it will deflate what you just worked so hard for. **

Next, add the flour in three additions, beating on medium to medium high speed. Your batter will be light and fluffy.

**The cake needs something to cling to, so you do not butter your pan. The batter "climbs" up the sides or your pan, and as it does, creates the delicate and airy pockets that make this cake so light and fluffy.**

Bake in the lower 1/3 of oven at 375 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes.

You can use a skewer to test the cake, but the top will be light brown and cracking . . . if you are in doubt of doneness, stick a skewer in the cracked part, it should come out clean.

Remove from oven, and run a knife (in a smooth motion, up and down, in one place, do not "saw" at the cake, you will ruin it.) all around the outside edge and inside edge around the "tube". Invert the cake on a cookie rack or something that is perforated or slotted so the cake has air. Let the cake cool completely before trying to remove.

**TIP: If you are using the bundt pan, when the cake is cool, put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Remove and using a big spoon, scoot it down the outside edge cake in the large fluted slot, and "lift" the cake away from the bottom of the pan. Do this on each large slot, then try to remove the cake.**

I like to serve this with some whipped cream, or some berry coulis . .. . or just by itself!