BROWN SUGAR ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH CANDIED CITRUS SLICES

Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake with Candied Citrus Slices image

Categories Cake Side Bake Spring Pastry Simmer Boil

Yield Makes one 10-inch cake

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar, sifted
14 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Candied Citrus Slices, for serving (recipe follows)
16 ounces crème fraîche
Candied Citrus Slices
3 cups sugar
1 small red grapefruit, thinly sliced into rounds
1 navel orange, thinly sliced into rounds
(makes enough to garnish one 10-inch cake)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stir together flour and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Sift twice.
Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Raise speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form. Sprinkle half the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar over egg white mixture, and beat until combined. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over egg white mixture, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Transfer egg white mixture to a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture in 3 batches, folding in lemon zest with last batch.
Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan (not nonstick) with a removable bottom. Run a knife through batter to eliminate air pockets. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched, about 45 minutes.
Invert pan onto its legs or over a narrow-neck bottle; let cool 1 hour. Reinvert, and run a knife around sides and tube to loosen; remove sides. Run a long knife along bottom of cake; remove from tube.
Place cake on a serving platter. Cut a slit in rind of candied citrus slices; twist slices, and arrange around bottom of cake. Reserve 1 slice for hole in center.
Put crème fraîche into a medium bowl. Whisk until lightened. Transfer a little more than 1/4 cup to a pastry bag fitted with a large rose tip (such as Ateco #123). Decoratively pipe crème fraîche around top edge of cake. Place 1 citrus slice over hole; pipe crème fraîche around it. Serve remaining crème fraîche on the side.
Candied Citrus Slices
Cut a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a medium pot; set aside. Bring sugar and 3 cups water to a simmer in pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add citrus slices, arranging them in a slightly overlapping layer. Cover with the parchment paper round. Place a cake pan on top of parchment to keep slices submerged. Simmer (do not boil) until rinds are almost translucent, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in syrup. The candied citrus slices can be stored in syrup up to 1 week.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set a wire rack over sheet. Transfer candied citrus to rack. Let stand until dry and slightly firm, about 8 hours.