You wouldn’t think that the egg had much to offer your baked goods other than leavening, but its properties stretch much further. Eggs are a structural ingredient that provide not only stability, but also moisture, richness, color and tenderness. They are the “glue” that holds everything together. They even help baked goods stay fresh a little longer.
When baking, always use the freshest eggs possible. Eggs will keep up to 5 weeks, but the older they get, the less effective they will be. If the label is marked “fancy fresh” it means that the eggs are less than 10 days old. You can save the older eggs for hard boiling. An aged shell will peel away much easier than a fresh one. To check your eggs for freshness, place an egg in a small bowl of lightly salted water. If the egg sinks to the bottom it is fresh. If the egg floats on top, it means the egg has probably spoiled and shouldn’t be used. Never use an egg that has a bad odor after you have cracked it open.
Most recipes will always specify the size of egg to use. If it does not, the rule of thumb is to use “large” eggs for baking. Recipes don’t always tell you to have your eggs at room temperature either, but doing so will help them blend in better.
Have you ever noticed that when you blend eggs with another liquid such as oil it emulsifies or turns the liquid into a semi-solid state? The egg yolk helps the fat to stay dispersed to promote thickening and binding. Emulsifying also provides a soft, tender crumb. Because the yolks are rich in lecithin, they help to reduce the loss of moisture in a baked good. The egg also adds color, giving the crust its nice, golden brown appearance.
The reason we beat eggs is to incorporate air into the batter which helps the baked good to rise. Sometimes the recipe will call for beaten egg whites. Recipes like angel food cake and meringue are a couple of examples. To get the maximum volume, always use room temperature egg whites and be sure your work bowl and beaters are grease-free. If you find that you have over-beaten your whites, (they have lost their elasticity and have become dry), it is possible to save them. Add one more egg white and continue to beat until it turns smooth and glossy. Depending on the recipe, you will then have to remove approximately ¼ cup of the mixture to stay with the recipe. If you ever find yourself with leftover egg whites, they can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, or frozen for one month. Frozen whites, once thawed, will appear more watery, and should be used in recipes that contain other leaveners.
Finally, is there a difference between using white eggs and brown eggs in baking? Some people think they are different from each other, but in fact, they are the same when it comes to flavor, nutrition, and grading. Do brown eggs come from a brown chicken? Not at all. Hens with white feathers and white earlobes, produce white eggs. Hens with red feathers and red earlobes, produce brown eggs. One popular breed that lays brown eggs is called “Rhode Island Reds.” Because these hens eat more than white hens, it cost more to produce the eggs. This is the reason brown eggs cost more to buy at the store.
Now you know the importance of eggs in baking. They really are incredible and edible!
Happy baking,
Pam
No comments:
Post a Comment