How to whip an egg whites until stiff? Remember about one important thing
Beating egg whites seems ridiculously simple. All you need to do is separate the whites from the yolks, turn on the mixer, set it to the highest speed, and get to work. However, sometimes the egg white foam doesn't turn out at all. Why? Well, most likely we made some mistake.
3:22 PM EDT, October 15, 2023
Whipping egg whites takes some time and requires skill, but it's easy to learn. We add this ingredient to many baked goods, for instance to sponge cake. Without egg white foam, we also won't be able to bake a sweet meringue, which is the most important component of a Pavlova cake. What to do to keep it from dropping and make it perfectly stiff?
Having trouble with foam from egg whites? Check if you've taken care of everything
You need to properly separate the egg whites from the yolks. Even a bit of yolk will prevent the egg white foam from whipping up correctly. Why does this happen? This is explained on social media by Prof. Katarzyna Siuzdak from the Institute of Flow Machinery in Gdańsk, Poland.
- During whipping, weaker internal bonds are broken and protein molecules unfold. Chains of proteins join together and create a network. While whipping, I introduce air into this network, which is trapped by thin layers of water connected with this protein net. The more air I squeeze in here, the more delicate and lighter the dessert will be. And the yolks are too heavy and sticky to whip the foam properly - explains the expert.
Remember to thoroughly wash and dry the bowl and whisk. They can't be either wet or greasy. You also shouldn't whisk the foam for too long. How to check if it's ready? Just tilt the bowl. If nothing falls out, you can stop whisking.
What else should be noted?
Eggs should be at room temperature, and utensils should be clean and dry - these are the basics. It turns out that the type of vessel is also important. You should avoid using copper bowls.
- Copper atoms from its surface will be captured by proteins and will bond with sulfur present in the protein chains. And because copper bonds so closely with this sulfur, the protein chains cannot form a network, and the foam won't be as stiff, which will cause water to start appearing - explains Professor Siuzdak.
The foam from the egg whites will come out appropriately stiff if while beating you add a bit of vinegar, lemon juice, or salt. These ingredients stabilize the mixture wonderfully. If you're making meringue, you need to add sugar at the right time. Start by whipping the foam only, then gradually add fine sugar and whip until the sweet crystals dissolve.
