Mixing egg whites into cake batter, such as angel food cake (as pictured), souffle or extra-soft waffles takes a little practice, but the results are well worth it. Egg white dough will make the dough softer, lighter, and more delicious. Please note that egg whites should not be beaten too long, or they will lose their softness.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Separating the Egg Whites
Step 1. Choose eggs that are very fresh and very cold
Choose large or extra large eggs to make them easier to separate. Best results are obtained with eggs that are very fresh, as the protein "strings" that are useful for stiffening the egg whites fade over time.
Step 2. Separate the eggs
Be careful when doing this so that the egg yolks or pieces of shell do not mix with the egg whites. There are several ways to separate eggs:
- Method One: Carefully break the egg shell in half, then hold it over the bowl so that the egg whites can slowly pour out while the yolk remains on the shell.
- Method Two: Put the whole egg in a shallow bowl and pour the egg white without breaking the yolk. Use a spoon to help hold the egg yolks off the rim of the bowl. This method requires practice.
- Method Three: Hold a slotted socket over the bowl. Crack the eggs and then pour the yolks and whites through a spoon. The spoon will allow the egg whites to pass through the spoon and down into the bowl, while the egg yolks will stay on top of the spoon.
Step 3. Let the egg whites warm at room temperature
You can use the yolks for other recipes, such as mayonnaise, or save them for later use.
Part 2 of 3: Beating Egg Whites
Step 1. Put the egg whites in a bowl
Beat the egg whites on medium-high or high speed with an electric mixer. Move the stirrer around the inside of the bowl so that everything is evenly and thoroughly mixed.
Step 2. Beat the egg whites until they have the right consistency
Egg whites that are beaten properly will be evenly white and slightly stiff. It creates soft, light peaks and a soft appearance. This step is very important.
Some cookbooks recommend adding a little (usually less than 1/4 teaspoon) of Cream of Tartar to help beat the egg whites. This cream helps to make the egg whites soft
Step 3. Add about a third of the beaten egg white to the mixture
Gently beat the egg whites into the mixture. Doing this is called 'kneading' the dough, and will help when mixing the remaining egg whites. Stir the egg whites into the mixture until the mixture looks almost combined and slightly lumpy.
Make sure all other ingredients are mixed according to the recipe used before adding the egg whites
Part 3 of 3: Combining Egg Whites and Dough
Step 1. Add the egg whites to the mixture
Divide the dough with the edge of a large spatula in the middle. Gently turn half of the dough over the remaining half of the dough. Continue splitting the middle and turning the dough over.
For better results, use a large metal spoon or palette knife to "split" the egg whites in the dough
Step 2. Do not stir the egg whites into the mixture
The purpose of stirring the egg whites is to retain the beaten air in the egg whites. Be careful when stirring, making sure to only combine the egg whites, and don't use an electric mixer.
Step 3. Done
The result of the dough still looks a little thick, but there are no egg whites sticking out here and there.
Tips
- The results of beaten eggs at room temperature will be better than eggs fresh out of the refrigerator.
- Do not add egg whites until you are ready to cook. Sometimes the dough will need to be refrigerated first, but inverted egg whites tend to "deflate" more quickly, and will lose their usefulness so adding them to the dough is pointless.
