Week 1: Angel Cakes.

20/02/2012 (Monday)

This week, we have done our first experiment. 

The experimental product for this week are Angel Cakes.

We were divided into 5 groups (4 people in a group) and given the same task of experiment but with a different procedure.

The objective of the experiment:

1. Outline the best method for making an angel cake with optimum texture, volume and tenderness
2. Evaluate angel cake according to accepted standard.
3. Relate the effect of mixing to the texture, volume and tenderness of angel cake.
4. Explain the role of cream of tartar in the angel cake.
5. Interpret the effect of sugar and flavour, tenderness, volume and texture of angel cake.
6. Describe the interrelationship of sugar (or alternative sweetener) and gluten  development in angel cake.
7. Relate the effect of foam development on texture, volume and tenderness of angel cake
8. Explain the influence of  baking condition in determining the quality of angel cake.
9. Compare the merits of all purpose and cake flour in preparation of angel cake.

The Basic Formula of Angel Cake

Ingredients:

10g          Sugar 

15g          Cake Flour

41g          Egg White

32g          Sugar

0.6g         Cream of Tartar

0.1g         Salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350'F (177'C) except for procedure 6, which has separate baking directions.
2. Line the bottom of each individual loaf pan (5" x12 1/2" x2") with wax paper cut to just fit. Do not grease the sides of the pan.
3. Sift flour and first weight (10 g) of sugar together and set aside. Beat the egg whites together to the foamy stage, using an electric mixer (same kind for all parts of the experiment). Unless indicated differently in a specific series, add the cream of tartar and salt. (Note: if it were being used, flavoring would be added with the cream of tartar). Continue beating on the fastest mixer setting while gradually adding 32 g sugar. Beat the whites until the peaks just bend over.
4. Sift 1/4 of the flour-sugar mixture over the whites. fold in gently with 10 strokes using a rubber spatula.
5. Sift the second 1/4 of the flour-sugar mixture over the whites and fold in gently with 10 strokes, followed by the same process for the third addition.
6. Sift the final 1/4 of the flour-sugar mixture over the foam and fold 20 strokes to completely blend the mixture (making a total of 50 folding strokes with the rubber spatula).
7. Gently push and weight 99 g of the batter into the pan. Finish all of the cakes being baked in one oven before placing them all in the oven at the same time.
8. Baking until the surface springs back when touched lightly with a finger (-30 minutes). Record the baking time.
9. Cool in an inverted position with air circulating under the pan. When almost cool, remove from the pan.

Before the experiment, we are having a short briefing 

about what are we going to do on that day. 

All the group are given a different tasks.

Tasks:

Varying Sugar

1. Increased sugar - Prepare the basic formula, but use 13g sugar the first weight and 38g sugar for the second weight.
2. Excess sugar - Prepare the basic formula, but use 17g for the first weight and 50g for the second weight.
3. Sugar replacement (Honey) - Prepare the basic formula, but omit sugar and use 1.2g honey for the first weight of sugar and 1.2g honey for the second weight of sugar.

Ingredients:

Method:

120% & 162% Sugar

(Meringue)

Adding other ingredients...

Method:

Honey

The final result:

Increase Sugar

Excess Sugar

Honey

This is the final result for all the experiment:

Until we meet again in the next experiment...

(^_^)v