Angel With a Secret

Angel food is the most delicate of all cakes. But this is an angel with a bite: Hidden inside are pink peppercorns that give this no-fat cake a spicy edge. The raspberry mint sauce echoes both the color and pungency of the peppercorns.

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PINK PEPPERCORN ANGEL FOOD CAKE

1 cup flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons finely crushed pink peppercorns

2 cups egg whites (12 large egg whites)

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Raspberry-Mint Sauce

Sift together flour, 3/4 cup sugar and salt onto sheet of wax paper. Stir in crushed pink peppercorns.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating only until soft, smooth peaks form. Beat in vanilla.

Sprinkle 1/2 of flour mixture over beaten whites and whisk on low speed just until flour is mixed in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan and spread evenly. Remove air pockets by moving spatula up and down in circle around center of batter.

Bake at 325 degrees 30 minutes or until top is golden and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert pan to cool completely. Loosen sides with knife and turn cake out onto serving platter. Serve with Raspberry-Mint Sauce. Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

209 calories; 209 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.15 grams fiber.

Raspberry-Mint Sauce

1 (12-ounce) package slightly sweetened frozen raspberries

2 tablespoons sugar or to taste

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Puree frozen raspberries in blender until smooth. Stir in sugar to taste. Fold in fresh whole berries and mint.