Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Stiffy beaten egg whites cause soufflés to rise, give a mousse its airy exturevand form the basis for crisp meringues shells. Here's the best way to whip them and fold them into other ingredients.
2 dry custard cups
1 spatula
1 large bowl, stainless
Electric mixer
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Separate eggs (easier when they are chilled). Rap egg sharply on edge of bowl to crack. Insert thumbs; gently pull shell apart, letting white fall into a clean dry custard cup. Gently rock between shell halves until all has run into cup. Tip yolk into another dish. Pour white into a large deep, dry bowl (stainless, is best).
2. Beat egg whites in bowl, using rotary beater or electric mixer. Tools must be clean, dry, greaseless. If bits of yolk have fallen into whites, scoop them out with a spoon. To get best volume, have whites at room temperature. Start beating slowly; when foamy, increase speed to high. To beat whites evenly, move beater around bowl; scrape bowl with spatula. To test for "soft peaks" lift beater. Tips of peaks should bend over.
3. If recipe calls for beating until stiff peaks form, beat whites longer, (about 30 seconds for 1 white, a minute or two for several). Repeat test. Stiff peaks stand up short and straight; they do not curl over. Whites will be very white and glossy. If sugar is called for, add when directed. Once you have started beating whites, don't stop until recipe is completed.
4. When you fold stiffly beaten whites into a heavier texture, first stir a spoonful of whites firmy the into mixture to lighten it and bring its texture closer to that of beaten whites.
5. Tip rest of beaten whites on top of heavier mixture. Fold them in. Use a rubber spatula or large metal spoon; cut down through center of mixture with spoon touching bottom of bowl.
6. Continue in a single motion and turn the spoon up the side of the bowl to the left, turning mixture over not giving bowl another turn. Cut down through mixture again and continue folding until only tiny lumps of white are visible on top. Do not beat or stir - whites will deflate.
7. If a few little lumps of whites remain on top, move thet ip of the spatula quickly back and forth just in those limps. (If mixture is to be baked, white lumps may be left; for a cold mousse it is best to remove them.) as soon as whites are folded in, complete recipe quickly. |
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