I am always looking for low-fat desserts to satisfy the sweet tooth in our house. I saw these recipes on Joelen's Culinary Adventures and knew we had to try them.
1 ¾ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon almond extract, or extract of your choice
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
Strawberry Coulis, recipe follows
Strawberries, sliced
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry). Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour. Carefully remove the cake from the pan by running a flat knife along the edges.
To serve, thinly slice cake and spoon over the Strawberry Coulis. Garnish with a sliced strawberry.
Strawberry Coulis
recipe adapted from Epicurious
In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a blender. Purée until smooth, strain, and set aside. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
