Monday, May 10, 2010

Coconut Chiffon Cake with Coconut-Cranberry Sorbet


Coconut Chiffon Cake with Coconut-Cranberry Sorbet

Active Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Yield: Makes 10 servings
A delicate light-textured cake. To measure the flour accurately, sift some flour into a bowl. Spoon the sifted flour into a 1 cup measure so cup is overflowing. Stand the edge of a ruler on top of

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut (about 3 ounces)
2 cups sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 large egg yolks
7 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Fresh cranberries (optional)
Fresh mint (optional)

Other necessary recipes:
Coconut-Cranberry Sorbet


DIRECTIONS
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Blend coconut and 1/4 cup sugar in processor until coconut is finely chopped.


Whisk flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Add coconut milk, oil, lemon juice and vanilla to well; then yolks. Whisk all ingredients until very smooth. Fold coconut mixture from processor into yolk mixture. Using electric mixer, beat whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar; beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.


Transfer batter to 10x4-inch angel food cake pan. Bake cake until golden on top and tester (slender wooden skewer) comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Place narrow-neck bottle into center tube of cake pan. Stand bottle upright so cake hangs upside down. Cool cake completely. Cut around cake pan and center tube to loosen cake. Remove cake from pan; place on platter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)


Cut cake into wedges; place on plates. Spoon sorbet alongside. Garnish with fresh cranberries and mint, if desired.


Recipe created exclusively for Cooking.com by Selma Elaine Brown.

Sunny Citrus Chiffon Cake

Sunny Citrus Chiffon Cake

Active Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours
Yield: 12 servings
Flavored with orange, lemon and lime, this big, beautiful cake is a fitting ending to a celebration. Just three egg yolks give the cake a golden hue and a texture richer than angel food.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 large egg whites at room temperature (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 large large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Citrus Glaze:
1 large orange scrubbed
1 lemon scrubbed
1 lime scrubbed
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Tip: To bring an egg to room temperature: Either set it out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge it (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.


DIRECTIONS
FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt into a small bowl; set aside.


Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer just until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the whites are shiny and form soft peaks.


Whisk together egg yolks, orange liqueur, orange, lemon and lime zests, lemon and lime juices, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour over the egg whites and fold together with a rubber spatula.


Resift the reserved dry ingredients over the beaten egg whites in four parts, folding in gently after each addition. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with a removable bottom. Smooth the top and run a knife or spatula through the batter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the top is golden and a long skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Invert the pan over the neck of a bottle and let cool completely.


FOR THE CITRUS GLAZE:
Use a citrus zester to remove long threads of zest from the orange, lemon and lime; set aside. Squeeze 4 teaspoons of juice from each of the fruits. Whisk the juices into the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl to make a smooth glaze.


Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife and invert onto a cake plate. Spoon the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the julienned zest. Let the cake stand at least 30 minutes for the glaze to set.


© EatingWell Magazine.