Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake

• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided 
• 1 (2-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 cup sifted cake flour (about 4 ounces)
• 12 large egg whites 
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325°.

Place 3/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds to sugar; discard bean. Work the vanilla seeds into sugar with fingers until well combined.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and sugar mixture, stirring with a whisk to combine.

Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in juice. Sift flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert cake onto plate.

Serves 12; 144 calories.

VERDICT:  No better or worse than any other angel food cake, despite the expensive vanilla bean.  Toss.