Recipes: Spanish Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)

SPANISH SPONGE CAKE (Pan di Spagna) Makes one 8- or 9-inch-round sponge cake serving 6 to 8. The cake can be baked two days ahead. Cool it completely, wrap airtight and refrigerate, or freeze up to three months. For the cake pan: • 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter • 3 tbsp. all-purpose unbleached flour The cake: • 7 tbsp. (13/4 oz.) all-purpose unbleached flour • 7 tbsp. (13/4 oz.) cake flour • 1 egg • 3 egg yolks • 1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. (41/2 oz.) sugar • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest or vanilla extract • 4 egg whites Directions Making the batter: Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Use the 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour to butter and flour an 8- or 9-inch-round cake pan. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sift the measured flours into a bowl, and then stir them to blend thoroughly. Pour the flour back into the sifter. Use a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer to beat the whole egg, egg yolks, sugar and lemon zest or vanilla at medium speed about 8 minutes. The mixture will be pale, fluffed to about five times its original volume, and very creamy. Set it aside. Whip the egg whites until they form stiff, but not dry, peaks. With a large spatula, gently fold a quarter of the whites into the egg mixture, using big round scooping motions down to the bottom of the bowl, then up and around over the top of the batter. Fold in the rest of the whites, leaving a few streaks of white. Sift a quarter of the flour mixture over the eggs and gently fold it in. Repeat the sifting and folding until all the flour is completely incorporated. Work quickly to keep the batter as airy as possible. Baking: Immediately turn the batter into the cake pan, slip it into the oven and turn the heat down to 325 degrees. Bake about 40 minutes. The cake should be golden brown. Its center should spring back when pressed with a finger, and a knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Let it cool about 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn it out on a rack to cool. Nutrition information per serving: Calories168Fat3 gSodium39 mg Carbohydrates29 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium16 mg Protein5 gCholesterol105 mgDietary fiber0 g Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 1 other carb, ½ fat.