Fruit compote, optional (see accompanying recipes) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour and cocoa with 0.75 cup sugar. Mix well and set aside.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and cream of tartar. Beat at high speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Test by turning off machine and raising beater slowly. Gradually add the remaining sugar, quarter cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until stiff peaks form when you remove the beaters.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the vanilla. Then sprinkle a fourth of the flour mixture over the beaten egg whites. Using an under-and-over motion, gently fold in the flour with the spatula. Do 5 strokes, rotating the bowl as you fold in the flour. Repeat three more times, until the flour mixture is all used up. Then fold an additional 10 strokes. Flour mixture should be blended into the egg whites.

Gently pour the batter into an ungreased 25 cm tube pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Invert tube pan over the neck of a glass bottle. Keep the cake inverted until completely cool, at least two hours.

With a sharp knife, carefully loosen cake from the pan. Serve plain or garnished with a fruit compote.

Per serving (without fruit): 105 calories (12 percent from protein, 86 percent from carbohydrate, 3 percent from fat), 3 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, less than 1 gram fat, 0 cholesterol, 84 milligrams sodium. Exchanges: half bread, half meat.

From the Oregonian's FOODday, 0. 238948626045.4.