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Whenever I would make a recipe where I had to beat egg whites the instructions wouldalways say something like “whip until stiff peaks form”. This would alwaysconfuse me. I would stand there while the mixer was on high speed and watch fora mountain range to form. Usually I would beat the egg whites too long and theywould end up dry and break. It wasn’t until I took a cooking class on soufflésthat I learned how to tell when the egg whites were just right.
So how do you tell when the “stiff peaks” form? When the whites start to thicken,stop the mixer and take a whisk or and swirl it around the bowl then dip it inthe center of the bowl and stand the whisk upright. If the whites stand up thenyou’re good to go. If they flop a little, just continue beating for a fewseconds more and try again. Don’t overbeat the whites or you’ll have to startover from scratch.
There are a few factors that affect the egg whites. Ideally, the eggs should be atroom temperature to get them to a greater volume. For best results, I separatethe eggs when they are cold then leave them at room temperature for about 20-30minutes. Humidity greatly affects whipped egg whites. When it’s humid, moisturegets into the mixture making it soft and impossible to thicken.
Most recipes for meringue or whipped cream call for a pinch of cream of tartar. Iwould always just add it in, but never understood what cream of tartar is and why it’s usually added.
When making a meringue, it’sbest to use the freshest eggs possible. As eggs age, the proteins that make upthe eggs tend to breakdown causing them to become loose. Fresh eggs are acidicin nature, but as they age they become more alkaline (the opposite of acidic).When you beat egg whites that aren’t fresh, the meringue will be looser. Thisis where cream of tartar comes into play.
Cream of tartar is an acidic compound that is a byproduct of wine fermentation (winehas so many wonderful uses!). It increases the stability of the egg whites sothat they stay firm and don’t deflate. You can also use lemon juice.
WhenI learned the technique for testing for stiff peaks, it was definitely an “ah-ha” moment, so I hope this tidbit of information helps!
