Black and white angel food cake

ingredients 

For the cake:

400g sifted caster sugar

130g sifted soft flour (not self-rising)

365g egg whites at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)

¾ tsp salt

1½ tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

65g coarsely grated milk chocolate

For the glaze:

225g milk chocolate chips

190ml double cream

Method

Black and white angel food cake

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

2) Combine 100g of the sugar with the flour and sift them together 4 times. Set aside.

3) Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs form medium-firm peaks, about 1 min. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 300g of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Beat on high speed for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Add the vanilla and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more min. Scrape the beaten egg whites into a large bowl. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it very carefully into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour in 3 equal additions, sifting and folding until it's all incorporated. Fold in the grated chocolate.

4) Pour the batter into an ungreased 25cm tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 35 to 45 mins, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, run a thin, flexible knife around the cake to remove it from the pan.

5) For the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate chips and the double cream in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled cake to cover the top completely and allow it to drizzle down the sides. If you have chocolate glaze left over, you can serve it on the side with the cake.