Why do recipes for beaten egg whites warn you about dryness?
Mar 18, 2006 | From the kitchen of Rose
Why do recipes for beaten egg whites always warn you to beat until stiff but not dry and is there a way to keep this from happening?
When egg whites are over beaten, they start to lose their moisture, airiness, and smoothness and break down when folded into other ingredients. The miracle solution here is surprisingly easy: use 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every egg white (1 teaspoon for 8 egg whites).
Add it to the whites soon after you begin to beat them, when they start to get frothy. Note: egg white will never beat to stiff peaks if there is it comes into contact with any grease, either from the bowl, beater or even a bit of broken egg yolk.
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Barbara
03/15/2009 04:13 PM
Loulou -- it depends on the recipe. Does your recipe have any baking powder or baking soda in it? If it does, you can probably omit the step of beating the egg whites, although you will get a denser cake. If the cake depends only on the beaten eggs for aeration, then you'd better beat them unless you want a cake with the texture of a brick!
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Anonymous
03/13/2009 11:29 AM
i would like to know if i can just add egg whites to batter instead beaten them separtely?
loulou
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Rose Levy Beranbaum
03/14/2008 10:59 AM
the cake will be lighter (airier)
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Kay
03/13/2008 06:54 PM
When a pound cake asks for the eggs to be separated and the whites beaten then folded into the batter, what difference will that process make in the cake once it's baked?
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Patrincia
01/14/2008 10:41 AM
Agreed - salt, in combination with the other ingredients, equals flavor.
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Rozanne
01/14/2008 09:13 AM
Mark, here is what Rose writes about salt in the Cake Bible "The only function of salt in a cake is to accentuate or heighten flavor. Without salt, the cake would have a decidedly flat taste." It is on pg 473.
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Mark Greenbaum
01/13/2008 09:17 PM
Q: What role does salt play in the chemistry of cake baking? Can it be deleted with any consequence?
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Patrincia
09/10/2007 01:41 PM
Ummmm, emulsifying the ingredients, thickening the liquids, and adding rich texture and flavor come to mind.
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laura
09/10/2007 01:19 PM
i am doing a project and i need to know what is the function of egg yolk in a pudding such as mousse. i hope you can help! thank you very much
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Sian
09/07/2007 02:15 AM
Hi, I am trying to make fruits tarts. Just not sure should I use egg yolks or whole egg for the dough. What will be the different in result? Thanks, Sian
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Rozanne
08/30/2007 11:07 AM
Lula, as Patricia said "I'm no Rose" neither am I but the next best thing is the Cake Bible. On page 472 Rose explains the function of eggs in a cake recipe. She also explains about adjusting the b.powder if one is using only yolks as it weakens the structure slightly.
I hope you have the Cake Bible if not look it up at the library or in a book store.
Rozanne
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Patrincia
08/30/2007 08:55 AM
Lula - I'm no Rose, but I believe egg whites basically provide structure to baked goods, while yolks tenderize them. Here is a link you may find very helpful:
http://www.baking911.com/pantry/eggs.htm
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pat pouch
08/29/2007 06:49 PM
my dog has low albumin, will feeding egg whites help?
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Lula
07/23/2007 09:43 PM
What effect does egg white have in cake batter? Not BEATEN egg white, per se, but I have a recipe that I love that uses only egg yolks, and I was wondering what adding some of the whites (i.e. the whole egg, not just yolks) might do to the recipe? And vice versa, what role does an egg yolk play in the chemistry of a cake? Is there any article that you can point me to that outlines the scientific effects behind cake ingredients? What the role of each is?
THANKS! Absolutely GREAT site, by the way!
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Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/28/2007 11:31 AM
egg white or albumin are the most common terms
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Samantha
02/28/2007 09:55 AM
Hello love the blog
What is the white of the egg called?
Samantha
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Rose Levy Beranbaum
03/19/2006 11:52 AM
none that i know of but there's a book that has been recommended to me that i posted on this blog. do a search in the search box and i'm sure you'll find it.
also a website i think called "living without"
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curtis cascagnette
03/19/2006 11:28 AM
I have a friend with celiac sprue disease. Basically she has a very strong allergy to gluten and can't eat anything with gluten in it. Are there any recipes out there that could compare with normal flours and have a light airy crumb instead of a dense bread?
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Rose Levy Beranbaum
03/19/2006 10:48 AM
yes--exactly--and thank you!
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May
03/19/2006 10:17 AM
So if I want to make meringues, I can do the same thing, except I begin adding the sugar after the cream of tartar has dissolved?
Your blog is really informative, Rose!
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