- Use the most fresh eggs in the cake baking. Old egg whites tend to collapse when other ingredients are folded in, and they don't rise well in the oven. Freshness Test: Place an egg in water mixed with a little salt. If the egg is fresh it will sink. The quicker or farther it sinks, the fresher it is. If the egg floats, it has spoiled. Cold eggs are easier to separate than warm eggs. To achieve maximum volume when beating eggs, have them at room temperature, about 17C/63F-22C/72F.
- Make certain that all mixing equipments are absolutely clean, and that inclusive of your hands. The bowl and beaters should be free of fat particles. Egg whites will not increase to the desired volume if contaminated with any trace of oil. This is also true if any tiny speck of yolk appears in the egg whites. If you happen to have copper bowl in hand, it is ideal for whipping egg whites. A reaction between the copper and whites generates a much more stable foam, with one-third more volume than you get in a standard bowl. If copper is not available, the next best choice is stainless steel. 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar for 2 egg whites can be added as a stabilizer, replacing the acidic properties of the copper. Lemon juice or vinegar will work as well. The ratio stays same as cream of tartar calls for the recipe. If possible, plastic and glass bowls should be avoided to use because plastic tends to hold some oil even after thorough cleaning. The naturally slick surface of glassware doesn't give much traction for the egg whites to climb the bowl. Never use aluminium, which reacts with the egg whites causing them to turn slightly gray.
- Whether to use a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer really depends on the number of egg whites whisked at one time. I choose using a stand mixer when I have to beat more than 3 egg whites, otherwise, I prefer to whisk egg whites with my hand-held electric mixer. That's not to say that egg whites cannot achieve their full volume manually beaten. A bulb whisk works fine and for sure more wires bring on faster results. Spiral version works easier than the flat one. Start at a slow speed and gradually increase the speed until the egg whites reach their full volume. Operating the mixer at a high speed from the beginning will not allow the egg whites to reach their full volume and will not stabilize because of its grainy and large bubbles.
- Some professional pastry chefs suggest adding a pinch of salt with the raw egg whites at the beginning of beating. Because salt not only enhances flavours but also helps to make the whites beat more easily. However, some feel salt decreases the stability of whipped up egg whites and prefer adding it along with other dry ingredients. When you're ready to whip your egg whites, add an acid to them such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar. Set your mixer on low and start beating. In about 10 seconds you should have frothy and foamy egg whites. Sugar not only adds sweetness, it also stabilizes the egg whites and helps producing a more smooth meringues. When whipping egg whites for soft macaroons, use just one part sugar to one part egg white, i. e. beating 1 egg white with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Or use 2 parts sugar, 4 tablespoons, to whip up one part egg white. If less than 2 tablespoons of sugar to whisk one egg white, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink. Besides weight ratio, timing plays another important roll in whisking egg whites. It is very important to be aware of when you add the sugar to the egg whites. If whisking in 1/4 cup or less of sugar, then add at the beginning. Otherwise, start adding it gradually just before they form soft peaks, when egg whites have been whipped to at least four times their original volume. Sugar, if added too soon, will likely inhibit egg whites from foaming. If too late, sugar not completely dissolved, and you most likely end up having dull and over-whipped egg whites. Always add sugar in a stream, slowly at the side of the bowl while the whites are being whipped. Avoid dumping it in the centre, unless you want to experience how beaten egg whites deflate.
- Egg whites can go through different stages when beaten depending upon the end result needed. Do NOT stop the mixer in between. Foamy: Large bubbles, very loose with a cloudy, yellowish liquid developing into bubbles. Soft Peaks: Bubbles have tightened into a white foam with a soft ribbon that folds back into itself. You can pull the whites into a "2-3 centimetres peak" but they won't hold the shape. Soft peaks is perfect for baking angel cakes. Firm Peaks/ Glossy, firm and smooth like fresh heavy cream. You can pull whites into a peak that will curl but not stand. Stiff Peaks: Glossy and very stiff. Best for baking chiffon cakes.
If egg whites are beaten to dry and dull, they are over-beaten -- Watch carefully, because egg whites can go from stiff to dry and over-beaten in as little as 30 seconds. The over-whipped dull egg whites can be rescued by adding an extra egg white and beating again. Rescue doesn't work all the time. When the right consistency is achieved, use it as soon as possible to the recipe. The egg whites release water content and start to deflate slowly within 5 - 6 minutes.
Details => Forum | - 新鲜鸡蛋制作蛋糕是不二选。不新鲜的蛋白混合其它材料时，很快就会塌陷了。那么入烤箱烘焙，就不会膨胀了。将鸡蛋放入含有少量食盐的水里，如果鸡蛋下沉的 话，就表示新鲜。沉得越快，表示越新鲜。如果鸡蛋漂浮着，就说明鸡蛋坏了。冰鸡蛋较易分开蛋黄蛋白，而室温的鸡蛋较容易打发。所以从冰箱取出鸡蛋后就可以 立马分开蛋白蛋黄，蛋白液中绝不能沾到一丝的蛋黄。蛋白回至17C/63F-22C/72F左右的室温打出的蛋白液体积最理想。
- 确认打发蛋白的所有工具都要干净，是的，包括你的双手。盛放蛋白的容器以及打蛋抽要无水无油。蛋白液也不能混有一丝蛋黄，否则蛋白就无法打发了。如果家里 有合适的铜质盆具就最好不过了，因为搅打过程中铜释放出的微量酸性物质有稳定蛋白霜的作用，因此打发后蛋白液体积会比使用其它标准容器的蛋白液要多出 1/3倍。没有铜质器皿，那么次选就该是不锈钢盆具。添入少量酒石酸氢钾/它它粉就可以取代铜起到稳定作用了。按照每2个蛋白加入1/4小勺它它粉来帮助打发蛋白液。白醋或柠檬汁也有同样效果，用量和它它粉一样。塑料和玻璃器皿都不是理想的盆具。塑料器皿即使彻底清洗后，还是会粘附油水。玻璃器皿因为过滑 导致蛋白液很快从盆边滑落。而铝制品就完全应该避免使用了，因为铝会使蛋白变灰。
- 至于使用手提式还是台式电动打蛋器还是要看蛋白的份量。一次若需要打3个以上的蛋白，台式打蛋器会比较省时省力。要不然手提电动打蛋器就能有效 打出漂亮的蛋白泡泡了。那么是不是说非电动的蛋抽就无法打出让人满意的蛋白沫了呢？答案当然是否定的。不过在选择蛋抽时，就要挑用钢圈数较多的蛋抽了。蛋抽钢圈数愈多愈容易打发，螺旋型会比直形更容易。搅打蛋白的速度要从低速渐渐到中高速，如果一开始就高速搅打，那么蛋白霜体积不够大且因为泡沫过大而不稳定。
- 专业蛋糕师建议在蛋白还呈现黏液状时加入一小撮食盐。这样不仅提味，而且蛋白比较容易搅打。但也有些人为盐份会破坏蛋白液的稳定性，而选择把盐份和分类一块拌匀。蛋白加入它它粉，柠檬汁或是白醋一起进行打发。先低速搅打蛋白，10秒内就会出现粗泡状。蛋白加入一定比例的砂糖，不仅仅只是为了添加甜味而以，加了砂糖打出的蛋白霜比较细腻且泡沫持久稳定。软身点的蛋白霜，需要砂糖和蛋白量各一份 （2大勺砂糖打发一个蛋白）。或用两份砂糖打发一个蛋白（4大勺砂糖打发一个蛋白），那么蛋白霜就坚挺些。而用少于2大勺砂糖搅打的话，打出的蛋白霜会很 快回缩。砂糖加入蛋白的时机也不能忽视。如果方子中砂糖份量等于或少于1/4杯，那么最好在开始搅打时就加入。要不然打至快湿性发泡时开始加入砂糖，这时 蛋白体积差不多有原来的4倍多了。过早加入，会阻碍蛋白泡发，但若过迟，则蛋白泡沫的稳定性差，而且白糖也不易打化，还会因此导致蛋白搅打过头。要注意砂糖要沿着盆壁渐渐加入，不要一股脑往蛋白中央一倒，要不然已打起的蛋白霜可能就会消泡了。
- 蛋白打发包括粗泡状：泡沫较粗大，蛋白液还较浑浊。湿性发泡：蛋白经搅伴后渐渐凝固起来，蛋白开始有光泽，呈柔软绸缎状，提起打蛋器，有个2-3厘米尖峰弯下。湿性发泡用来制作天使蛋糕就它最合适。中性发泡：蛋白很有光泽，就像鲜奶油般的顺滑，提起打蛋器，蛋白尖峰还是有些弯度。硬性发泡：蛋白还是有光泽，蛋白峰呈现坚挺状。这个阶段的蛋白霜可以用来制作戚风蛋糕。到这各阶段要格外注意，因为只需要10来秒，蛋白就会因为搅打过头而无光泽了，取而带之的就是棉花状和结球状蛋白了。搅打过头的蛋白霜可以试试添加一个蛋白进去打成硬性发泡。不过这种方法也不是每次都奏效的。蛋白霜打好后，最好是立刻使用，因为蛋白在5-6分钟后就会开始出水了。
详细步骤请见论坛 |
Hall of Shame