Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 4, Episode 6 - Let Them Eat Foam - full transcript

(Alton Brown)
WHEN LAST WE VISITED
THE EGG FILES,

WE INVESTIGATED
THAT ORB'S UNIQUE ABILITY

TO CONVERT ALMOST ANY LIQUID
INTO A VISCOUS VICTUAL.

THIS PARTICULAR POWER
DWELLS IN THE YOLK,

MEANING THAT THE ALBUMINS,
OR WHITES,

WERE LEFT OUT
OF THE DESSERT DRAMA.

ONCE THE CUSTARD
WAS CONSUMED,

THE WHITES WERE, OF COURSE,
INDIVIDUALLY FROZEN
IN ICE CUBE TRAYS.

LATER ON THAT SAME DAY,
PAUL BAGGED AND TAGGED THEM
FOR LATER USE.

LOCKED AWAY INSIDE
THESE TRANSLUCENT CUBES,

ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE
AND VERSATILE POWERS



IN THE KITCHEN UNIVERSE
LAYS WAITING...

WAITING
TO BE CONVERTED INTO...

FOAM.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
A SIMPLE FOAM OF FRESH
OR FROZEN EGG WHITES

IS THE EMBARKATION POINT
FOR A CULINARY JOURNEY

DOTTED WITH DOZENS
OF DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS.

MERINGUES, SOUFFLéS,
AND MOUSSES
LIE UPON THIS ROAD,

AS DOES MANY A CAKE,

ONE OF WHICH
IS SO IMPOSSIBLY LIGHT,

SO ETHEREALLY DELICIOUS,
SO AMAZINGLY VERSATILE,

SO RIDICULOUSLY
EASY TO MAKE --

NOT TO MENTION
COMPLETELY FAT-FREE --

THAT MANY REFER TO IT
SIMPLY AS...

ANGEL FOOD.
(women's voices)
* AHH AHH...



HAVING NEVER DINED
WITH ANGELS,

I JUST CALL IT
GOOD EATS.

WHETHER IT'S FLOATING
ON YOUR BEER,

TOPPING YOUR PIE,
OR CLEANSING YOUR CAR,

A FOAM IS SIMPLY
A COLLECTION
OF SMALL BUBBLES.

AND A BUBBLE IS JUST
A POCKET OF GAS

SURROUNDED BY
A THIN LAYER OF LIQUID,

WHICH IS SURROUNDED
BY MORE AIR.

"DUH," YOU SAY?

WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
YOU BLOW SOME.
(sound of person blowing
through straw into water)

YEAH, SEE, PURE WATER --
OR ANY PURE LIQUID,
FOR THAT MATTER --

CANNOT BE BUBBLED.

THE REASON
IS SURFACE TENSION.

YOU SEE, WATER MOLECULES
ARE SO ATTRACTED
TO EACH OTHER,

THAT WHEN FACED
WITH AN ALIEN ENVIRONMENT,
LIKE AIR,

ANY BODY OF WATER
WILL SHAPE ITSELF

AS TO EXPOSE AS FEW
OF ITS MOLECULES AS POSSIBLE

TO THAT ENVIRONMENT.

NOW THE SHAPE THAT EXPOSES
THE FEWEST MOLECULES IS,

OF COURSE,
A SPHERE, OKAY?

THIS IS THE BUBBLE'S
GEOMETRIC DOPPELGANGER.

NOW TO TURN WATER
INTO FOAM,

WE MUST BREAK
THE SURFACE TENSION,

AND THAT MEANS
ADDING MOLECULES

WHICH CAN INFILTRATE
THE WATER

AND GET IT TO RELAX
A LITTLE.

NOW THE LIST OF POTENTIAL
ADDITIVES IS LONG.

AS WE ALL REMEMBER
FROM "FIGHT CLUB,"

EVERYDAY SOAP
IS MADE FROM FAT,

TREATED WITH A CAUSTIC
ALKALINE LIKE LYE.

THE PROBLEM IS,
SOAPY FOAMS, LIKE THIS,
AREN'T VERY STABLE

AND THEY TEND TO TASTE
LIKE SOAP,

SO THEIR CULINARY USEFULNESS
IS LIMITED TO POT-SCRUBBING.

EGG WHITES FOAM FABULOUSLY,

BECAUSE THEIR WATER
ALREADY CONTAINS

THE NECESSARY ADDITIVES
IN THE FORM OF PROTEINS.

THERE ARE SO MANY,
IN FACT,

THAT YOU CAN ADD
EVEN MORE WATER

AND STILL HARVEST BUBBLES
APLENTY...
GIVE THAT A TRY.

(sound of person blowing
bubbles through a straw)

AND OF COURSE,
EGGS DON'T TASTE LIKE SOAP.

OF COURSE, YOU WOULDN'T
WANNA DRINK IT RIGHT NOW...
BLAH.

TIME TO MEET THE SOFTWARE.

HEADLINING FOR TEAM DRY --

SUGAR --
1 3/4 CUPS OF SUGAR.

NOW WHY SO MUCH?
WELL, HERE'S THE THING.

THIS CAKE DOES NOT HAVE
ANY FAT IN IT, OKAY?

AND A CAKE WITH NO FAT
AND A LOT OF EGG WHITES
WILL END UP LIKE...

(boing! boing! boing!)

ONLY IT WON'T TASTE
NEARLY AS GOOD AS THAT.

BY ADDING ALL THIS SUGAR,

WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE
SOME TENDERIZING,

AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE
A NICE, MOIST CAKE.

NOW WHAT WOULD
REALLY BE GREAT

IS TO HAVE FINE SUGAR.

FINE SUGAR DISSOLVES
VERY QUICKLY, AND
IT'S NICE AND LIGHT.

IT'S EASY TO WORK
INTO LIGHT BATTERS.

THE THING IS,
WHO WANTS TO GO OUT
AND BUY FINE SUGAR?

NOBODY, SO MAKE YOUR OWN --
TWO MINUTES IN
THE FOOD PROCESSOR.

SINCE THE CRYSTALS
NOW TAKE UP LESS SPACE,

THE 1 3/4 CUPS
HAS BECOME 1 1/4 TO 1 1/2,

DEPENDING ON
YOUR FOOD PROCESSOR.

NOW ABOUT HALF OF THIS,
ROUGHLY,

GETS SIFTED WITH
1/4 TEASPOON OF SALT

AND 1 CUP OF CAKE FLOUR.

NOW WHAT MAKES CAKE FLOUR
CAKE FLOUR?

WELL, IT'S MADE
FROM WEAK OR SOFT WHEAT,

WHICH DOESN'T CONTAIN MUCH
IN THE WAY OF PROTEIN.

NO PROTEIN, NO GLUTEN.

NO GLUTEN, NO CHEWINESS.

CAKE FLOUR IS ALSO
VERY FINELY MILLED.

PUT THESE THINGS TOGETHER,
AND YOU'VE GOT A FLOUR

CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
A VERY SOFT AND LIGHT CAKE.

NOW WHEN THIS DRY STUFF
FACES THE FOAM TO COME,

THERE WON'T BE MUCH
IN THE WAY OF MIXING.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT THE SUGAR AND FLOUR

ARE INTEGRATED AND AERATED.

SIFTING NOW, AND THEN AGAIN
INTO THE BATTER,
WILL DO THE TRICK.

ONTO THE WET WORKS...

A DOZEN LARGE EGG WHITES.

WHETHER FRESH
OR THAWED LIKE THESE,

THEY NEED TO BE
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, OKAY?

COLD WHITES AREN'T FLEXIBLE,
SO THEY DON'T WHIP WELL.

ADD TO THIS 1/3 CUP
OF WARM WATER.

NOW WHEN WORKING WITH THESE,
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

IS THAT THERE BE NO FAT
ANYWHERE IN SIGHT,

ESPECIALLY EGG YOLKS.

SEE, A SINGLE CC OF YOLK
WILL DRASTICALLY DAMAGE

THE WHITES'
GROWTH POTENTIAL.

WHY?
TELL YOU LATER.

(very gruffly)
NOW GET THAT STUFF
OUTTA HERE!

OKAY, SINCE A DROP OF YELLOW
COULD RUIN A WHOLE CARTON
OF WHITES,

DO PRACTICE SAFE SEPARATION
BY USING THREE CONTAINERS.

BEGIN BY SEPARATING
THE WHITE INTO A CUSTARD CUP
OR TEACUP IN THE MIDDLE.

MOVE THE YOLK
INTO A HOLDING TANK.

THEN, AFTER SCREENING
FOR YELLOW FLECKS,

MOVE THE WHITE
OUT OF QUARANTINE

AND INTO ITS OWN
HOLDING TANK.

THIS WAY,
ANY RENEGADE YOLK

WILL BE ISOLATED
IN THE MIDDLE CUP.

YOU CAN THROW IT AWAY
OR COOK AN OMELET.

EITHER WAY, IF ANY YOLK
DOES SHOW UP IN THAT
MIDDLE CUP,

YOU'LL HAVE TO START
WITH A CLEAN CUP.

TO UP THE FLAVOR ANTE, ADD
A TEASPOON OF CHEMICAL X --

EXTRACT, THAT IS --
ANY KIND YOU LIKE.

I THINK ORANGE
SOUNDS GOOD TODAY.

THERE WE GO.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
TO HELP THE WHITES
ON THEIR WAY TO GREATNESS,

WE'LL ADD 1 1/2 TEASPOONS
OF CREAM OF TARTAR.

NOW ONE DAY
WHEN I WAS A KID,

I MIXED UP A FEW TABLESPOONS
OF THIS STUFF

AND PUT IT
ON MY FISH STICKS.

I WISH SOMEBODY HAD TAKEN
THE TIME TO EXPLAIN

THAT THIS IS NOT
FREEZE-DRIED TARTAR SAUCE,

BUT A PARTIALLY NEUTRALIZED
AND FINELY GROUND VERSION

OF TARTARIC ACID CRYSTALS,
HARVESTED FROM THE
INSIDE OF BARRELS

WHERE WINE IS FERMENTED.

YOU OFTEN SEE THEM
ON THE UNDERSIDE OF CORKS.

ANYWAY, AS A MILD ACID,
IT WILL ADD JUST ENOUGH
HYDROGEN ATOMS TO THE WHITES

TO STABILIZE THE FOAM.

OKAY, AS FOR THE HARDWARE --

ASIDE FROM THE USUAL
MEASURING MENAGERIE
AND VARIOUS VESSELS --

WE WILL EMPLOY
A LARGE BALLOON WHISK,

AN ELECTRIC HAND MIXER,

A RUBBER SPATULA,

A TUBE PAN --

MORE ON THE TUBE PART
LATER --

AND A WHIPPING BOWL.

YOU KNOW WHAT?
LET'S GO BOWLING.

SIMPLE THOUGH THEY MAY SEEM,
SHOPPING FOR A BOWL

IS NOT AN EASY THING.

THAT'S BECAUSE
THERE ARE ACTUALLY
BOWLS DESIGNED FOR WORK,

AND THEN BOWLS
TO JUST HOLD THINGS,

AND I PITY THE POOR FOOL
THAT CONFUSES THE TWO.

FOR INSTANCE, SAY THAT YOU
WERE TO TAKE YOUR EGG WHITES

AND ATTEMPT TO WHIP THEM UP
INSIDE THIS PLASTIC BOWL.

OKAY, PLASTIC MOLECULES
ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE
TO FAT POLYMERS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE
SO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER,

THEY ATTRACT EACH OTHER.

AND THAT MEANS
THAT AFTER FOUR
OR MAYBE FIVE HARD WASHINGS,

THERE WILL STILL BE
A LAYER OF FAT

ADHERED TO THE INSIDE
OF THIS BOWL.

AND I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU
WHAT WILL HAPPEN

IF A LITTLE BIT OF FAT
COMES IN CONTACT

(suspenseful music)
WITH A PERFECTLY GOOD
EGG FOAM.

SHE'S BACK THERE,
ISN'T SHE.

SO WHY DON'T WE HELP
OUR GOOD FRIEND W,

AND LOGICALLY REARRANGE
THE BOWL DEPARTMENT.

PERHAPS I SHOULD
REARRANGE...

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT,
MOST OF THIS STUFF

IS ABSOLUTELY
SUPERFLUOUS.

I MEAN, COME ON,
THERE ARE LOT BETTER
CONTAINERS

FOR DRAGGIN' SLAW
TO THE HALLOWEEN
HOEDOWN IN,

WOULDN'T YOU AGREE?

AND WHAT ABOUT THIS?
GLASS.

GLASS BOWLS.
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO?
THEY BREAK.

I MEAN, BESIDES MAYBE...
NAH, NOT EVEN
A JELLO BOWL.

NOW I THINK WHAT
WE'VE GOTTA DO HERE

IS REALLY RETHINK THE
ROLE OF THE WORK BOWL.
NO, WAIT...

HOLD IT, HOLD IT,
HOLD IT!

IF I HELP YOU,
WILL YOU JUST LEAVE
WITHOUT A STRUGGLE?
A STRUGGLE?

W, I'VE GOT OVEN MITTS
BIGGER THAN YOU, GIRL.

SECURITY,
AISLE FIVE.
SECURITY?
SINCE WHEN DO YOU...

I DIDN'T KNOW THEY LET
THOSE GUYS MOONLIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, YOU WIN.
CALL OFF THE DOGS.

SO WHAT ARE YOU
MANGLING TODAY?
EGG WHITES, ACTUALLY.

WE SHOULD TALK COPPER.
OH, NOW COME ON.

I HEARD THAT THAT WHOLE
COPPER-EGG WHITE THING

WAS JUST
A BUNCH OF MALAR...
SCIENTIFIC FACT?

SCIENTIFIC FACT,
YES, ABSOLUTELY.

EGG WHITES ACTUALLY PICK UP
COPPER IONS FROM THE BOWL.
HMM.

THAT MEANS THAT
THOSE IONS

VERY WELL COULD
BLOCK BONDING SITES
ON THE EGG PROTEINS.

THAT WOULD PREVENT
OTHER PROTEINS
FROM JOINING ON,

THUS PREVENTING
OVERCOAGULATION...
I LIKE IT.

TRADITIONAL COPPER BOWLS
ARE ALSO EASIER TO WHIP IN,

BECAUSE OF THEIR
ROUND BOTTOMS.

NOTHING DOES
EGG WHITES BETTER.

RIGHT...
UH...

WELL, WHAT IF I WAS
LOOKING FOR A MORE
EVERYDAY KIND OF BOWL?

IF YOU MEAN BOWLS THAT YOU
CAN ACTUALLY WORK WITH --
MM-HMM.

BEAT UP WITH HAND MIXERS,
USE AS DOUBLE BOILERS,
RIGHT.

PUT IN THE OVEN
AND TEMPER CHOCOLATE WITH,
EVERYDAY.

USE AS MOLDS,
AND OF COURSE, MIX IN --

THEN YOU CAN'T GO WRONG
WITH STAINLESS-STEEL NESTERS.

YOU CAN FIND ANYWHERE
FROM THREE TO SIX
IN A SET.

WELL, I GUESS
MORE IS BETTER, RIGHT?
ACTUALLY, BETTER
IS BETTER THAN MORE.

AND IF YOU'RE REALLY
GONNA WORK THEM,

THERE ARE SOME THINGS
YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR.
LIKE WHAT?

WELL FIRST,
YOU WANT STAINLESS,
AND YOU WANT HEAVY.

FEEL THAT.
OOH, STOUT.

NOTICE THE SHAPE
OF THE BOWL.

THE ANGLE OF THE CURVE
AND THE NARROW BOTTOM

MAKES FOR EASIER MIXING.
MM-HMM.

AND THE STRAIGHT SIDES
KEEP THE WORK IN THE BOWL
AND NOT ON THE COUNTER.
AH, IT DOESN'T SLOP OUT.

AND IT ALSO HAS A HANDLE,
SO YOU CAN PUT IT
IN A SAUCEPAN

AND USE IT
AS A DOUBLE-BOILER.

OR, YOU CAN USE IT
AS A LID.
OF COURSE, YOU COULD
JUST CARRY IT, HA HA.

AND WHAT ABOUT A SPOUT?
THAT'S UP TO YOU,

BUT I THINK THEY
GET IN THE WAY
MORE THAN THEY HELP.
I SEE.

WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, W,
ONCE AGAIN,

YOU HAVE BOWLED ME OVER,
HA HA HA.

YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY ALL SET
ON STAINLESS STEEL BOWLS,
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

BUT HEY, IF YOU'RE
WILLING TO TALK DISCOUNT

ON THIS LITTLE COPPER
NUMBER HERE, I BROUGHT
MONEY THIS TIME.
SECURITY.

REALLY, IT'S...

NOT EXACTLY THE COPPER
I HAD IN MIND.

(inaudible)

NOW REGARDLESS
OF THE FUNCTION
OF THE FINAL FOAM,

I LIKE TO START EGG FOAMS
WITH A HAND WHISK.

IT'S BETTER AT GETTING THE
WHOLE VISCOUS MASS MOVING,

AND ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT
IN MOTION,

IT'LL START TO BUILD ITSELF
INTO A FROTH,

AND A FROTH
IS THE FIRST STEP
ON THE WAY TO A FOAM.

THERE, LOOK.

IN JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS,

WE'VE GOT A NICE,
BIG BASE OF BUBBLES.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MOVE IN
WITH THE HEAVY ARTILLERY.

GO WITH YOUR HAND MIXER
ON MEDIUM SPEED.

(yelling over noise of mixer)
YOU KNOW, NOW WOULD BE
A REALLY GOOD TIME

TO GET DOWN INSIDE THERE
AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

GO AHEAD, GET CLOSE,
GO AHEAD.

HERE WE HAVE...
A FOAM.

JUST A FEW THOUSAND BUBBLES,

BEING MAINTAINED
BY LITTLE MORE

THAN THE VISCOSITY
OF THE SURROUNDING LIQUID.

BUT AS THEY ARE AGITATED
BY THE MIXER,

THEY'RE GONNA DIVIDE,
AND GROW...

INTO LOTS
OF SMALLER BUBBLES.

AS THE MIXER INVITES
EVEN MORE AIR TO THE PARTY,

MORE BUBBLES
WILL BE CREATED.

THIS IS WHERE EVEN A SPECK
OF EGG YOLK CAN WREAK HAVOC

BY GREASING UP
THE BONDING POINTS
ON THE PROTEINS.

IF THAT HAPPENS...
(pop!)

BY THE WAY,
NOW IS A GOOD TIME

TO SPRINKLE ON SOME SUGAR.

SPRINKLE ON
THE RESERVED SUGAR,

JUST A TABLESPOON
AT A TIME.

IT'LL TAKE
A COUPLE OF MINUTES

TO WORK IT
ALL THE WAY IN.

NOW IN THE MEANTIME,
THE BEATERS ARE
STILL BREAKING UP

ALL THOSE BIG BUBBLES
INTO LITTLE BITTY BUBBLES,

AND MORE AND MORE AIR
IS BEING WORKED
INTO THE MIX.

YOU CAN HELP
BY NOT KEEPING THE BEATERS
EGG-MERGED ALL THE WAY DOWN.

BRING 'EM UP TO THE SURFACE
EVERY NOW AND THEN

SO THAT THEY
CAN GRAB HOLD OF AIR.

NOW YOU NOTICE THAT WE'RE
STARTING TO GET TRAILING.

YOU CAN SEE THE PATTERN,
KIND OF LIKE A ROOSTER TAIL,

OF THE BEATERS MOVING
THROUGH THE EGGS.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE GOT A
SUCCESSFUL FOAM GOING HERE.

IT'S COMPLETELY OPAQUE,
IT'S SNOWY...
LOOKS GOOD.

BUT IT'S NOWHERE
CLOSE TO DONE.

HOW CAN YOU TELL?
DIG IN AND TAKE A LOOK.

NO BACKBONE,
NO CLING.

WE'RE NOT THERE YET,
BUT IT WILL HAPPEN
VERY QUICKLY.

NOW THAT A GOOD BIT OF AIR
HAS BEEN INCORPORATED
INTO OUR FOAM,

CERTAIN EGG PROTEINS
BEGIN TO UNWIND

AND FORM A MESH
AROUND THE BUBBLES.

NOW SOME OF THESE PROTEINS
DRY AND HARDEN WHEN
EXPOSED TO AIR.

RUB YOUR HAND
ON AN EGG WHITE SOMETIME,

AND THEN LET IT DRY
FOR A MINUTE,
AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN.

AS THESE PROTEINS STIFFEN,
SO TOO DOES OUR FOAM.

SOMETIMES, IN FACT, THIS
HAPPENS LONG BEFORE THE FOAM
HAS REACHED ITS FULL VOLUME,

BUT THAT IS NOT GOING
TO HAPPEN TO US,

BECAUSE WE ADDED WATER
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.

NOW WE'RE TALKIN'.

THESE ARE CALLED PEAKS.

BUT AS YOU CAN TELL
BY GRAVITY'S EFFECT,

THEY'RE STILL
SLIGHTLY SOFT PEAKS.

STILL, WE'RE AT A POINT
WHERE GOOD EGGS CAN GO BAD,

EVEN WITH THE PROTECTION
OF THE CREAM OF TARTAR
AND THE WATER.

SO I'M GONNA TURN THE SPEED
DOWN ON THE MIXER
AT THIS POINT,

'CAUSE IF I DON'T,
WHAT IS NOW NICE
AND SMOOTH AND CREAMY

WILL BECOME...
HARD AND DRY AND YUCK.

WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

WHIP IT GOOD,
BUT DON'T WHIP IT TOO LONG,

OR ELSE THE PROTEINS WILL
SQUEEZE TOGETHER SO TIGHT

THAT...
(pop!)

GAME OVER.

AND...
WE HAVE ACHIEVED
MEDIUM PEAKS.

NOW THIS IS AS FAR
AS I'M WILLING TO TAKE
ANGEL FOOD CAKE.

REMEMBER, THESE BUBBLES
STILL HAVE TO BE
ELASTIC ENOUGH

TO EXPAND IN THE OVEN,
AND WE HAVE STILL HAVE

SOME DRY INGREDIENTS
TO GO IN.

BY THE WAY, IF WE HAD ADDED
ANOTHER CUP OF SUGAR TO THIS

AND BEAT IT ALL THE WAY
TO STIFF PEAKS,

WE WOULD BE TALKING
ABOUT MERINGUE...
BUT THAT'S ANOTHER SHOW.

FOLDING TIME.
THE GOAL?

INTEGRATE THIS DRY STUFF
INTO THIS WET STUFF

WHILE DESTROYING AS FEW
OF THE BUBBLES AS POSSIBLE.

NOW YOU MAY REMEMBER,
WE PUT THIS MOVE
ON MR. MOUSSE

IN OUR FILM NOIR CLASSIC,
"ART OF DARKNESS."

START BY SIFTING ON
JUST ENOUGH OF THE FLOUR MIXTURE

TO DUST THE TOP
OF THE FOAM.

THERE, NOW FOLD.

STRAIGHT DOWN
WITH A RUBBER SPATULA,

UP THE SIDE,
AND OVER.

TURN THE BOWL A QUARTER,
AND REPEAT,

WORKING YOUR WAY AROUND,
JUST LIKE THAT.

NOW YOU'VE GOT
A NEW SURFACE,
SIFT ON SOME MORE.

THE GOAL IS TO DO THIS
WITH THE FEWEST MOTIONS
POSSIBLE.

THERE.

IT STILL LOOKS LIKE A BIT
OF A SHAGGY MESS,
BUT THAT'S OKAY.

YOU DON'T WANNA OVER-FOLD.

NOW IT'S IMPERATIVE
THAT YOU GET THIS
STRAIGHT TO THE PAN.

ADD THE BATTER IN DOLLOPS.

DON'T REALLY TRY
TO POUR IT IN,
OR YOU'LL FLATTEN IT OUT.

NOW WHAT'S WITH THE TUBE?
SUPPORT.

THIS BATTER IS GONNA
DOUBLE IN VOLUME,

BUT ONLY IF IT'S GOT
SOMETHING TO CLIMB,
TO HOLD ONTO.

WITHOUT A STRUCTURE
HERE IN THE MIDDLE,

THE CAKE WOULD JUST BE
SINK, SANK, SUNK.

THE TUBE ALSO PROVIDES
FOR EVEN HEAT CONTACT,

AND THAT WILL ENSURE
EVEN BAKING.

NOW THERE'S SEVERAL
DIFFERENT STYLES
OF TUBE PAN,

BUT ALL THAT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT

IS THAT THE CENTER TUBE
COMES UP BEYOND
THE EDGE OF THE PAN.

NOW THIS ONE ALSO
BREAKS INTO TWO PARTS,
WHICH IS SWEET.

NOW ONCE EVERYTHING IS IN,
DON'T TRY TO SMOOTH IT OUT
WITH YOUR SPATULA.

DON'T BANG IT UP AND DOWN,
OR YOU'LL JUST LOSE AIR.

JUST GIVE THE PAN
A COUPLE OF GENTLE SPINS.

THERE...
NOW STRAIGHT INTO
A 350-DEGREE OVEN

FOR 35 MINUTES.

NO PEEKING.

NOW THAT IT'S IN THE OVEN,

THIS FOAM WILL CONTINUE
TO INCREASE IN VOLUME.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE AIR
IN EACH BUBBLE

IS GOING TO EXPAND
FROM THE HEAT.

NOW THAT'S OKAY
WITH THIS MESH,
BECAUSE IT'S FLEXIBLE.

PROBLEM IS,
WHEN IT GETS HOT ENOUGH,

THIS MESH
IS GONNA FALL APART.

LUCKILY, WE'VE ALREADY
GOT ANOTHER ONE

STANDING BY
TO TAKE ITS PLACE --

OVALBUMIN,
THE LAST OF THE GREAT
EGG WHITE PROTEINS.

WITH THIS PROTEIN IN PLACE,
IT DOESN'T MATTER

IF THE WATER
IN THE BUBBLE WALLS
EVAPORATES AS STEAM.

(pop!)
THE FOAM WILL REMAIN STABLE,

AND THAT IS HOW ANGEL FOOD
WORKS.

(beep!)

AHHH.

THAT IS WHAT ANGEL FOOD CAKE
SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

BUT TO BE SURE IT'S DONE,
YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE IT
THE SKEWER,

RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE.

PERFECT...
NOT BONE DRY.

YOU DON'T WANT IT
TO BE COMPLETELY DRY.

THE PROBLEM NOW IS THAT
IF WE COOL THIS UPRIGHT,

THE CAKE'S GONNA FALL,
BECAUSE UNTIL IT
REALLY SETS,

IT CAN'T EVEN SUPPORT
ITS OWN WEIGHT.

THAT IS WHERE
THE TALL TUBE COMES IN.

PUT A PAN ON TOP,
AND...

GENTLY FLIP IT OVER.

NOW SUSPENDED
JUST LIKE THAT,

IN TWO OR THREE HOURS
THE FOAM IS GONNA SET,

AND IT'LL STAY THAT WAY
FOREVER.

WELL, ALMOST FOREVER.

THE ONE DOWNSIDE
TO NOT BEING ABLE
TO LUBE UP THE PAN

IS THAT THE CAKE
IS GOING TO STICK.

BUT YOU KNOW,
IF IT DIDN'T STICK,

IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO CLIMB UP THE SIDES.

AND IF IT COULDN'T
CLIMB UP THE SIDES,

WELL, IT WOULDN'T
BE ANGEL FOOD, WOULD IT?

THERE...
I JUST USUALLY CUT
ALL THE WAY AROUND

WITH MY THINNEST
SERRATED BLADE,

WHICH JUST HAPPENS
TO BE THE BLADE
FROM MY ELECTRIC KNIFE.

NOW BEHOLD THE WONDERS
OF THE TWO-PIECE TUBE PAN.

THERE.

NOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS CUT AWAY THE BASE,

AND I JUST USUALLY
TURN THE PAN
AGAINST THE KNIFE...

LIKE THAT.

IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH.
AHHH.

NOW THE NEXT CUT
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,

BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST ONE
YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA EAT.

AND I LIKE A NICE,
HEALTHY SLICE.

NOW UNFORTUNATELY,
YOU CAN'T SMELL THIS.

IT IS EXTREMELY FRAGRANT.

IT IS UNBEARABLY LIGHT.

AND I HAVE TO SAY...

MMM, DELICIOUS.

AND OF COURSE,
ADD TO THAT THE FACT

THAT IT'S VERY EASY TO MAKE,
IT WORKS AND PLAYS WELL
WITH OTHERS, AND HEY,

IT CONTAINS NO FAT --
NONE... ZERO... ZIP.

NOW I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THOSE
FOR WHOM THIS DIVINE DEVICE
IS NAMED,

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I KNOW GOOD EATS
WHEN I SEE IT...

AND WHEN I TASTE IT.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME...
MMM.

Captioned by
Scripps Networks, Inc.

(Alton)
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE PART
OF THE MICROSCOPIC FOAM

WAS PLAYED BY 526
WHITE LATEX BALLOONS.

ALTHOUGH THEY WERE HANDLED
WITH THE UTMOST CARE,

REGRETFULLY, TWO BALLOONS
PERISHED DURING PRODUCTION.