I had to work quickly to make use of all the raspberries that I got last weekend. We ate as many fresh ones as we could and then I finally put the rest in the blender with 1/2 cup of sugar and blended them up. Then I strained the seeds out...added a couple teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and made 1/2 into Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream and the other half I used to top Angel Food Cake (as well as pancakes, waffles, crackers, and my fingers!)
Angel Food Cake
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten
2 cups sifted superfine sugar, divided
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature (10-12 eggs)
3/4 t kosher salt
1 1/2 t cream of tartar
3/4 t pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar with the flour and sift together 4 times. Set aside.
Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachemnt and beat on high speed until the eggs make medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Whisk for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Whisk in the vanilla and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Sift about one fourth of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour by fourths by sifting and folding until it's all incorporated.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack until cool.
This Angel food cake turns out better than any store-bought version. It isn't "sticky" like the ones I'm used to. It was extra-delicious with the raspberry puree.
