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.
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