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Like angel food cake, these muffins are best with tea after dinner, or with a glass of milk before bed. They’re light and airy because beaten egg whites are the only leavening. You’ll get the most volume out of the whites if you beat them when they’re at room temperature. Make sure that the mixing bowl is at room temperature and that there’s not a drop of yolk, grease, or water with the whites before you beat them
Makes 12 muffins
Nonstick spray
1 cup cake or all-purpose flour, plus additional for the muffin tins
1 cup sugar
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To prepare the muffin tins, spray the indentations and the rims around them with nonstick spray. Sprinkle a pinch of flour into each of the indentations and shake the tin around, rapping your hands on the bottom and sides to coat the interior surface of the muffin cups with flour. Shake out any excess flour by rapping the tin against the side of the sink. If using silicon muffin tins, forgo dusting them with flour—simply spray the tins and place them on a baking sheet.
Whisk 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl until blended. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Raise the speed to high, beat in the cream of tartar, and continue beating until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, then beat in the vanilla. Continue beating for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is stiff and shiny and until no sugar granules can be felt when a bit of beaten egg white is rubbed between your fingertips.
Use a rubber spatula to fold in a third of the flour mixture. Do not beat; fold in long, even arcs, so that the whites stay fluffy but the flour is evenly distributed. Fold in half of the remaining flour mixture using the same technique. Then very gently fold in the remaining flour mixture, just so that the flour is mixed in, but not so that it dissolves.
Fill the prepared tins to the top; divide any remaining batter equally among the tins, piling it as high above the rims as necessary. Bake for 28 minutes, or until well browned.
Place the tins on a wire rack to cool for 45 minutes. Gently rock the muffins back and forth to release them from the tins. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or freeze them in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months.
Variations:
CINNAMON ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon with the flour.
LEMON ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS: Add 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon extract with the vanilla. If desired, drizzle the cooled muffins with Lemon Icing.
ORANGE ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS: Add 2 teaspoons grated orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange extract with the vanilla.
ROSE ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS: Add 2 teaspoons rose water with the vanilla.
VANILLA GLAZED ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS:Coat the cooled muffins with Vanilla Icing.
