Angel Food Shortcakes

This light, delicate angel food cake is a refreshing change from your typical biscuit shortcake. You can also try serving this dessert with fresh, ripe strawberries.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1/2  cup  sifted cake flour
• 3/4  cup  granulated sugar, divided
• 6  large egg whites
• 1/2  teaspoon  cream of tartar
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 3/4  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
• 3/4  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
• 3  tablespoons  slivered almonds
• 1  tablespoon  powdered sugar
• Cooking spray
• 
  Sauce:
• 2  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 2  tablespoons  brandy
• 2  teaspoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
• 
  Fruit:
• 1 1/2  cups  fresh blackberries or raspberries
• 1 1/2  cups  fresh blueberries
• 3  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 2  tablespoons  brandy
• 
  Glaze:
• 1/4  cup  seedless raspberry jam
• 2  teaspoons  water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.

Line bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with wax paper; set aside.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour and 6 tablespoons sugar, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 6 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in 3/4 teaspoon juice and extracts.

Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spread batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Place a clean dishtowel over a large wire rack; dust towel with powdered sugar. Loosen cake from sides of pan; turn out onto dishtowel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Lightly coat another large wire rack with cooking spray; place over cake. Invert cake; remove first rack and towel. Cool completely.

To prepare sauce, combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy, 2 teaspoons juice, and raspberries in a food processor. Process until well blended. Press mixture through a sieve into a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup. Discard solids.

To prepare fruit, combine blackberries, blueberries, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons brandy. Let stand 1 hour.

To prepare glaze, combine jam and water in a 1-cup glass measure. Microwave at high 30 seconds or until jam melts, stirring once.

Cut the cake into 12 rectangles using a serrated knife. Place 1 cake rectangle on each of 6 dessert plates. Drizzle each serving with 2 teaspoons glaze; top each serving with 1/2 cup fruit mixture and 1 cake rectangle. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the sauce around each shortcake.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

310 (6% from fat)

Fat:

2.1g (sat 0.2g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

5.6g

Carbohydrate:

63.5g

Fiber:

4.5g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.4mg

Sodium:

106mg

Calcium:

32mg