Yesterday was the first day I ever made Angel food cake, let alone freshly milled whole grain angel food cake that’s light and airy. But I did it! Years ago, I’d taken cooking classes, so I’d learned the method but had never applied it. The idea of using so many egg whites, which aren’t my favorite, didn’t appeal to me at the time.

Fast forward to now, when strawberries are in season, and I wanted to give it a try. Why? I’d never seen anyone make angel food cake freshly milled before, and I wanted to test my application of a new (to me) method.

The KEY to making light and airy angel food cake is in the MIXING. Whether you do this by man-powered whisk or mixer, getting soft peaks (not stiff pointy ones) and being VERY GENTLE are key steps. Baking at a lower temperature is also key. Follow this one to the letter. That’s probably another reason I’d never made it before – I’m not a fan of following directions.

When you are whipping the egg whites (and sugar), the cream of tartar helps stabilize the whites so they get and maintain fluffiness. Don’t leave it out, or substitute a teeny bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in it’s place.

While avoiding fat to line your pans is frowned upon, if you must – maybe lightly dust it with flour before you gently spoon in the fresh milled angel food cake mixture. Be sure not to tap your whisks or anything on the bowl or you’ll knock some of the air out and have flat cake. We want light and airy angel food cake – so treat it like a baby – super gentle.

Light and Airy Fresh Milled Angel Food Cake

This is very quick and easy to whip up (pun intended). You'll never buy store-bought angel food cake again when you can get it just as good freshly milled.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: angel food cake, fresh milled, fresh milled flour, genoise

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 104kcal

Author: Just Mill It

Equipment

• whisk Manual or mixer
• instant read thermometer
• spatula
• pan you can use any pan, even a loaf pan, I used a 9.25" cake pan
• Parchment paper the rounds work well for my cake pan
• gram scale

Ingredients

• 225 g egg, whites approximately 5 eggs worth
• 112 g sugar
• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar lemon juice or apple cider vinegar would also work
• ⅛ tsp sea salt, celtic grey
• 85 g wheat berries, soft white you can also use spelt or other soft grains
• ½ tsp baking powder optional

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Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325 F.
• If you have a warm function on your oven, set your bowl of egg whites on it to warm them to 110 F (for faster soft peaks)
• Whip egg whites for about 30 seconds on high speed.
• Add cream of tartar and sugar. I also added my salt here.
• Whip until soft, white peaks on highest speed with wire whips. This means it should come up when you remove the whisk from the bowl, but then flop over like the crest of a wave. If it points up but does not flop over, you whipped too long. That's ok – keep going.
• On the LOWEST setting, incorporate the remaining dry ingredients just until mostly combined. Only a few short seconds. Optionally, do this by hand by using a spatula and folding down, around and up very gently.
• Gently use your spatula to spoon the mixture into your pan. Smooth it out without pressing down.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the middle is 210 F.
• Let cool a few minutes before releasing the sides from the pan.
• Turn it over, and slowly remove the parchment paper.
• Slice gently with a bread knife. Excellent topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Video

https://youtu.be/tWDskFAnyTM

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.4mg

This Italian bread dough is by far the best I’ve made, at over 120% hydration.  Thanks to using yudane, which is a paste formed by mixing flour with boiling water, I get these really big holes reminiscent of refined flour bakery bread yet enjoy the whole grain, fresh flour version at home! This recipe has even bigger holes, and better crumb than our original Freshly Milled Italian Bread Recipe and our 100% Spelt Italian Bread, which is also fresh milled.

Soft and chewy, crusty Italian bread is a delight once you’ve mastered the art of baking it. That thick, crunchy yet chewy crust paired with a moist, soft interior—it’s what dreams are made of!

Cultural Significance of Italian Bread:

Crusty Italian bread is deeply embedded in Italian culture, where bread holds a sacred place at the dining table. Throughout history, Italian bread has symbolized sustenance, community, and tradition. Families gather around crusty loaves to share meals, dip into olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or sop up rich pasta sauces. It’s not just a food item but a cultural emblem that connects generations through its timeless appeal and artisanal craftsmanship.

Regional Varieties:

Italy’s diverse regions boast a spectrum of bread varieties, each with its unique characteristics. From the chewy ciabatta of Tuscany to the hearty pane di Altamura from Puglia and the airy focaccia of Liguria, Italian bread showcases regional ingredients and baking techniques. Crusty Italian bread, often characterized by its rustic appearance and robust flavor, varies in shape and texture across the country, reflecting local culinary traditions and agricultural practices.

What Took You So Long?

My family enjoys the basics: sandwich bread, rolls, flatbread, pizza, and sweet treats. While I experiment with special loaves like jalapeno and cheddar sourdough, they prefer simple pleasures. Cinnamon rolls? They’re all in. But what they truly crave is plain, fluffy bread with a soft crust.

This rustic Italian bread is different—it features larger holes and a soft, almost chewy crumb encased in a thicker, crunchy crust. Perfect for dipping into soups or pairing with pasta as garlic bread.

Inspirational Friends

My friends Eric and Lisa were eager for this crusty Italian bread after seeing a video using refined all-purpose flour. I adapted my approach, like preheating the Dutch oven and extending baking time even after the bread reaches 190°F, which helps remove excess moisture and enhances texture. I expect to refine this recipe further, but it’s already a winner.

If you’re short on time for stretch and folds, mix the rustic Italian bread dough in a mixer and refrigerate until convenient. Preheat the oven, possibly perform one set of stretch and folds, then bake—the process is mostly hands-off.

Baking without a Dutch oven (AKA Open Bake):

Italian Bread (fresh milled)

Just Mill It

Makes: 1 loaf / 16 slices Prep Time: 1 hour 55 minutes (mostly inactive) Bake Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16 slices

Calories 95 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 420 g wheat berries, hard white I used a mixture of hard red and white wheat
• 20 g vital wheat gluten
• 400 g water
• 12 g sea salt, celtic grey
• 8 g yeast (instant)
• 10 g barley malt syrup

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Instructions

 

• Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT the yeast for 5 minutes, in mixer or by hand. It will be wet and sticky!
• Let the dough rest 15 – 30 minutes to better absorb the liquids.
• Sprinkle the yeast into the dough, and mix or knead for another 3 minutes
• Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl with plenty of room to rise and a lid.
• Every 30 minutes, do a set of stretch and folds (optional if using a mixer)
• After the 3rd set of stretch and folds, preheat your oven and your dutch oven, by setting the oven to 420 F.
• Once the oven gets to temperature, quickly remove the dutch oven and close the door.
• Sprinkle flour to line the bottom of your dutch oven, then gently place the dough into it, and sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour.
• Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, razor, or snip it with scissors
• Place the lid on your dutch oven, and put it into the oven for 30 minutes
• Remove the lid and lower the oven temperature to 400 F, baking for another 20 minutes
• Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack with air flow all around the loaf
• Allow to cool before slicing

Video

Notes

If you want to keep crunchy crust, store on the counter or in a paper bag once fully cooled.

Nutrition

Serving: 54gCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 293mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 4gSugar: 0.4gVitamin C: 0.001mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

Keyword chewy bread, crunchy crust, lean dough

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