October 8, 2008

Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

1 comments

Today we had a farmers market at work and they were selling strawberries. When I saw the strawberries I was instantly in the mood for Strawberry Shortcake. As soon as I got home I got into the Internet to search for Angel Food Cake recipe. After looking at several recipes I went with the one below. I pulled this recipe from a Gluten-Free website called "My Wheat's End". How clever is that blog title?

 

http://mywheatsend.blogspot.com/2007/05/gluten-free-angel-food-cake.html

 

Here is the excerpt from this blog...

 

This is a really special angel-food cake, perfect for the coming berry and fruit season. Tetra-pak egg whites make this easy and don’t leave you with a dozen lonely egg yolks yearning to be made into pudding.

 

Ingredients

2/3 cup sweet rice flour

1/3 cup potato starch flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12 egg whites (I used egg beaters where 3 tbsp is equivalent to 1 egg white)

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup sugar

 

Directions

  

Combine flours, 3/4 sugar, salt, and xanthan gum. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extract until quite stiff. While beating, gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture by hand. Pour batter into an ungreased tube pan. Gently cut through the batter with a knife to break air bubbles. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. Invert immediately on the top of a bottle. Allow to cool completely before turning out. I did not invert but rather just put on top of an empty Corona bottle. I have to say this was the best "Gluten-Free" Angel Food Cake. My husband and the Nanny ate it and really loved it! It isn't as fluffy and airy as regular Angel Food Cake, but they actually stated they liked it more. It wasn't like a cake, but just a slight bit heavier than the one you get a Vons or Albertsons in that cardboard fluted pan.

 

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment...

 

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a disease of the small intestine. The small intestine is a 22 foot long tube that begins at the stomach and ends at the large intestine (colon). The first 1-1/2 feet of the small intestine (the part that is attached to the stomach) is called the duodenum, the middle part is called the jejunum, and the last part (the part that is attached to the colon) is called the ileum. Food empties from the stomach into the small intestine where it is digested and absorbed into the body. While food is being digested and absorbed, it is transported by the small intestine to the colon. What enters the colon is primarily undigested food. In celiac disease, there is an immunological (allergic) reaction within the inner lining of the small intestine to (gluten) that are present in wheat, rye, barley and, to a lesser extent, in oats. The immunological reaction causes inflammation that destroys the lining of the small intestine. This reduces the absorption of dietary nutrients and can lead to symptoms and signs of nutritional, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies.

I found this information at the link below.
http://www.medicinenet.com/celiac_disease/article.htm

BTW I dont claim to be an expert or doctor. This is information I have found or what has worked for me.