Eggs are a key component in baking and the contributions they give make them very difficult to replace adequately. However, the two main parts of the egg play divergent roles in the baking process.
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Egg yolks contain most of the egg’s fat and nutrients; the fat in egg yolks emulsifies the mixture, creating a moist tenderness in the resulting product. Many cakes rely on egg yolks to give them that fluffy consistency.
Baked goods that rely on yolks solely rather than whole eggs are distinctly more tender and luscious due to the higher fat content. Besides browning better, egg yolk-dominated baked goods often have a distinctive yellow appearance. Their subtle flavor, however, tends to mute those of others placed in the mixture, which could be good or bad depending on personal preference and the desired flavor intensity.
Egg whites, on the other hand, mostly contain water and the proteins albumen and ovalbumin. Egg whites are often separated from yolks to remove a fatty component that arrests its ability to foam. This would then allow it to be beaten vigorously into an airy, voluminous consistency.
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Egg whites are a vital ingredient in meringues and cakes with spongy consistencies like angel’s food cakes, all of which are made possibly by the tandem role played by the two proteins, which allow bakers to create a fluffy foam that can solidify when heated. Egg washes are mostly made of egg white and create a distinctive sheen on finished baked goods.
Egg whites also do not dilute other flavors. On their own, however, egg whites can make the mixture drier because of their lack of fat.
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