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Marilyns Treats

May 1, 2020 · 32 Comments

Tip Friday Beating Egg Whites

Tip Friday

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.
Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

BEATING EGG WHITES

If you like meringue then you will need to know how to Beat Egg Whites.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

There are things to remember before you start:

  1. The bowl and beaters must be clean and grease-free. Use a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl, not plastic. Egg whites will whip higher if they’re at room temperature before beating.
  2. When beating egg whites, at first you’ll have a puddle of clear liquid with some large bubbles in it.
  3. As you continue beating, the liquid will become opaque as it forms many more, smaller bubbles.

There are also three stages you need for meringue, soufflés and sponge cakes.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Soft Peak

If a point forms and then falls over immediately, the egg whites are at a soft peak.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Medium Peak

From here, 20 to 25 more strokes with a whisk will bring you to a medium peak.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Stiff Peak

Add another 15 to 20 strokes to stiff peaks.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Beyond Stiff Peaks

It’s extremely easy to go too far. When you start to see grainy white clumps, you’re beyond stiff peaks. Every stroke of the whisk or beater is tearing apart the network of air, water and protein you’ve worked so hard to create. You’ll also see a pool of clear liquid under the foam.

The good news is that the foam still on top of the liquid will essentially still work.

The bad news is that you can’t really fix what’s happened, other than to start over with new egg whites.

Quick Tip for Beating Egg Whites

Stiff meringue, creamy soufflés and pillowy sponge cakes can be particularly aggravating when they don’t go as planned.

Beaten egg whites are the foundation of these recipes and many others.

Whenever you’re beating eggs, start off slowly and gradually work up to a high speed. While you can beat egg whites by hand using a hand mixer or standing mixer does the job in less time and tends to give you a more uniform structure.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Eggs beat best if they are fresh and cold. This produces small, tight bubbles that hold up well and won’t deflate as easily when you’re doing things like piping out meringue or folding whites into cake batter.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

When whites are older or at room temperature they will whip up more quickly and to a greater volume, but this produces big bubbles with a less stable structure. While not ideal for meringues, this would be great for a souffle where there aren’t a lot of other heavy ingredients weighing down the egg whites and you’re cooking the dish right away.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Whipping whites in a copper bowl is great if you have one, but metal or glass bowls will work just fine. Never use a plastic bowl because fat particles often get into knicks and scratches in the plastic and interfere with beating the egg whites.

Equipment Needed

Using the correct equipment will assure the best outcome.

Bowl size (and shape) matters.

For proper aeration, a small mixer bowl is best for up to 3 egg whites. Use a large mixer bowl for 4 or more whites. When beaten, egg whites increase as much as 6 to 8 times in volume. The bowl should be large enough to hold the expanding whites, but not so large that the whites are spread too thin. The bowl should be deep enough for the beaters to make contact with as much of the whites as possible.

Beaters and bowl should be spotlessly clean.
Any residue of fat will prevent egg whites from beating up properly. Use a stainless steel or glass bowl. Plastic bowls can retain a film of grease.

Mixers

Using an electric portable or stand mixer is easiest. Meringue can be beaten with a balloon whisk, but this requires more than average arm strength and endurance.

Keep the yolks separate from the whites. Fat from egg yolk will prevent egg whites from beating up properly.

When separating eggs, take care that no yolk gets in the whites. To avoid an accident, separate each egg white into a cup or small bowl before transferring it to the mixer bowl.

Discard any white that has even a speck of yolk in it or refrigerate or freeze it for another use.

Here are some tips for for a perfect outcome.

Egg temperature

It’s easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator-cold. However egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they’ve had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes. Before beating egg whites, always begin by separating the eggs. Then let the whites stand at room temperature while you prepare the baking pan, equipment and other ingredients.

Cream of tartar

The air beaten into egg whites can be lost quite easily. A small amount of acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, acts as a stabilizing agent. A bit of lemon juice or vinegar will also work.

Salt

Salt decreases egg white foam stability, so it is not used in meringues.

Add sugar gradually

For optimum volume and smoothest texture, sugar should be added gradually, beginning only after the whites have been beaten to the foamy stage (about double in volume). Adding some or all of the sugar before you begin beating the egg whites will result in less volume.

To check if sugar is dissolved

After each addition, whites should be beaten until sugar has dissolved before adding more. To test, rub a bit of meringue between thumb and forefinger. If sugar is dissolved, it will feel completely smooth. If it feels grainy or sandy, continue beating. Undissolved sugar can cause sugar spots on the meringue surface.

Beating egg whites properly is the key to creating certain extra light cookies, such as meringues or ladyfingers. Beating eggs is a basic baking skill.

Does anyone know what this is? BONUS POINTS If you still have one.

Anyone else have any good tips for beating egg whites?

Want to make a lot of poached eggs at once? Learn about Poaching Eggs In Batches

Most images in my Tip Friday Series use free stock photos. This article is part of the Tips That Help in the Kitchen Series, Tip Friday.

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Comments

  1. blankMiz Helen says

    May 12, 2020 at 7:11 PM

    Great tips for the egg whites! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday,483.
    Come back soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      May 12, 2020 at 10:10 PM

      I am glad you liked the tips Helen. These posts are so much fun to research. Enjoy your week.

      Reply
  2. blankChas Greener says

    May 8, 2020 at 3:23 PM

    You’re tips are always so helpful and great, thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      May 8, 2020 at 7:46 PM

      You are welcome Cahs. I love researching these tips. Enjoy your weekend!

      Reply
  3. blankHelen at the Lazy Gastronome says

    May 7, 2020 at 12:46 PM

    Great information! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party – have an awesome week!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      May 7, 2020 at 7:49 PM

      Thank Helen! Enjoy your week!

      Reply
  4. blankLisa @ Casa Bouquet says

    May 7, 2020 at 9:11 AM

    Fabulous post! I’ll be sharing this with lots of young cooks. My mother was a 1950s frozen dinner cook, so I learned a lot from Julia Child. They need to put her old shows back on tv. Or you!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      May 7, 2020 at 11:11 AM

      Oh my gosh!! The best meals my mom ever made were frozen dinners. My dad was never home as expected and she made us wait to eat until he got there. Sometimes as late as 11:00. The other thing she did was a lot of oven or crock pot meals. But they simmered all day until he came home. I learned to cook from my grandma. Now she could look into the pantry and create a great meal from anything she had on hand. I am glad you want to pass this along. And I dont do videos for a reason. But I could film you making them!! What a duo we could be. ( I will have your measurements soon shen Jo gets back from her Aunt’s. Enjoy your week!!

      Reply
  5. blankClearissa Coward says

    May 1, 2020 at 5:37 PM

    As usual, great tips. Thanks so much for always sharing your knowledge.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      May 1, 2020 at 6:00 PM

      Thank you Clearissa. It has been 40 years, but when we were newly married we didnt have much money. We got married and moved to Central Mi. When we got there they withdrew the grant due to budget. I learned easy on to make my own things and cheap and comfort food. It helps now!!

      Reply
  6. blankMary Gilbert says

    October 19, 2015 at 6:25 PM

    Thank you for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 19, 2015 at 7:22 PM

      You are welcome Mary! See you next week.

      Reply
  7. blankSandy Sandmeyer says

    October 18, 2015 at 7:44 PM

    Thank you so much for sharing your post with us at the #AnythingGoes Link Party! See you next week.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 18, 2015 at 7:51 PM

      Thanks Sandy!

      Reply
  8. blankNikki Frank-Hamilton says

    October 13, 2015 at 10:03 PM

    I haven’t had beaten egg whites for a long time, I was afraid to try and mess it up, so thanks for this. I love that you were very specific about each step. Now I won’t be so chicken to try it again!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 13, 2015 at 10:19 PM

      Nikki this is a fail safe tip! I don’t like fool prof as that just tempts fate! ????

      Reply
  9. blankQuinn Caudill says

    October 13, 2015 at 11:59 AM

    Great tips as always. Pinned! Thanks for sharing with us at #Throwback Thursday link party. Please join us again next week and invite your friends to join.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 13, 2015 at 8:18 PM

      Thanks so much Quinn. I will be there Thursday!

      Reply
  10. blankTerri Webster Schrandt says

    October 12, 2015 at 11:41 PM

    Great tip, Marilyn! I made meringue once and it turned out well! Great post for #TheLeisureLink!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 13, 2015 at 10:14 AM

      Terri I make a lot of things one time only. Meringue is one of them. I love the look and it was fun to make but I am more of a whip cream fan. It was tasty, just something about the texture that put me off. Maybe I will try again at Thanksgiving for the folks that like it as a treat. I am glad yours came out well. My mom made the best meringus.

      Reply
  11. blankBetty says

    October 12, 2015 at 4:09 PM

    Thank you for your tip…Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 12, 2015 at 6:43 PM

      You are very welcome Betty. See you next week.

      Reply
  12. blanksue says

    October 12, 2015 at 3:19 AM

    Whipping egg whites can be very hit and miss. I love when I get it right and the peaks start to form – yay success! Thanks for sharing this tip with us Marilyn at #WednesdaysWisdom.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 12, 2015 at 12:51 PM

      Thanks Sue! My pleasure.

      Reply
  13. blankJess says

    October 11, 2015 at 4:40 PM

    Such a great tip you have here!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 12, 2015 at 12:50 PM

      Thanks Jess. I always enjoy your party.

      Reply
  14. blankSherry says

    October 11, 2015 at 1:54 PM

    Thanks for sharing your great tips for beating egg whites. I learned the hard way:-) Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 12, 2015 at 12:50 PM

      Thanks Sherry. So did I!

      Reply
  15. blankDebbie says

    October 9, 2015 at 10:45 AM

    Nice tip, Marilyn.
    Thank you for adding it to #tiptuesday.

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 9, 2015 at 2:10 PM

      Thanks Debbie. It is nice o find a way to incorporate my love of food into my need to teach!

      Reply
  16. blankCarlee says

    October 4, 2015 at 8:57 PM

    I love your tips and this is a good one for sure!

    Reply
    • blankMarilyn says

      October 4, 2015 at 9:19 PM

      Thanks Carlee! Looking at my Grama’s recipe books I saw she had a bunch of stuff like this jotted in the margins. I decided to share them for her!

      Reply

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blankMarilyn Lesniak. Writer, Photographer and Chief Bottle Washer behind the scenes at Marilyn's Treats. Don’t burn down the kitchen!! Let me help with my Kitchen Tips, Hacks and Recipes for all levels of Chefs. Read More…

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