Rules for whipping proteins. Storage conditions and shelf life of egg whites The most important thing about storing proteins

Whisking with sugar is required in many recipes, but the technology itself is usually not described in them. Meanwhile, making a really good meringue, or even an ordinary sponge cake, without knowing certain subtleties of this process is not so easy. So, how is sugar correct, what do you need to know for this? Let's consider the main points.

Selection and preparation of dishes

The most lush, and most importantly - stable foam can be obtained by beating the egg whites with sugar in a copper bowl. But, unfortunately, in modern times such dishes are rarely found in the kitchen, and therefore they can be replaced with glass or, in extreme cases, metal.

For this purpose, it is highly discouraged to use dishes made of aluminum. This is due to the fact that this metal, reacting with the acid added to the protein-sugar mass, gives the mass a grayish tint. It is also worth abandoning plastic containers, since the fatty films formed on the porous surface of the plastic prevent the proteins from reaching their maximum volume.

It is very important that the dishes are perfectly clean and dry. Even the smallest amount of fat can make the proteins not completely beat up, but only a third of their potential volume. This is due to the fact that fat makes it difficult to form protein bonds in the protein mass. It is recommended to wipe the whisk and bowl for beating with a lemon wedge and then dry thoroughly.

Egg selection and protein separation

With sugar, which eggs are the best for this? You can beat any egg well, but it should be borne in mind that fresh eggs, due to the fact that they have thick protein, will beat a little longer, but at the same time they will last longer in the beaten state. Eggs that have been stored for a long time become watery, and therefore do not beat well. Eggs that are at room temperature are easiest to beat as bubbles form more easily in warm whites.

Place two clean, dry bowls in front of you. Holding your hands over the container, gently beat the egg using a knife and split it in half. Pour the yolk from one part of the shell to another until all the white is in a bowl. It is important to carefully monitor that even the smallest amount of yolk does not get into the proteins, since otherwise it will be impossible to get the maximum amount of protein mass.

Instruments

Since whipping whites with sugar is not a quick matter, it is best to arm yourself for this purpose with a mixer, which has two rotating nozzles. In the absence of this kitchen appliance, you can use a whisk or a hand cream beater, but in this case the process will be significantly delayed.

Beat first at the lowest speed, gradually, slowly, increasing it. Foam will soon form, which will become denser and whiter as you beat it.

Stabilizing the whipped egg whites

It is not enough just to know how to beat whites with sugar, it is also important to be able to consolidate the stability of the resulting fluffy mass. So, for this purpose, it is recommended to add acid to the proteins at the foam stage - tartar, lime or lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid. This contributes to the fact that the protein cells become more closely connected with each other, as a result of which the proteins not only beat faster, but also retain their shape longer.

Adding sugar

The moment of addition is very important, by this time the whites should already be well beaten. If the protein is not beaten enough, then large air bubbles are clearly visible in it, bursting when the protein mass is introduced into the dough, as a result of which the finished products lose their airiness and splendor.

If the protein, on the contrary, is whipped too much, then you can see small air bubbles in it, breaking during the baking process and leading to the fact that the baked goods fall off. The indicator of a well-whipped protein is its 5-fold increase compared to the original volume, as well as strong and fluffy and foam that holds its shape.

In no case should you pour out all the sugar at once, since in this case it will immediately begin to spread and it will become impossible to achieve the desired shape and taste.

Sugar should be added slowly and very gradually, without ceasing, continue to beat the whites. The optimal single dose of sugar to be mixed with a protein mixture is ½ tsp. Sugar can be replaced with powdered sugar, which is believed to dissolve more easily, as a result of which it is possible to obtain the desired consistency for whipping several times faster. When sugar is added to the proteins, the mass becomes very stable, smooth and completely dense. This can be achieved after a few minutes. However, you should not rush, because it is important that all sugar crystals completely dissolve in the resulting foam.

Many novice housewives are faced with a situation where proteins and sugar are not whipped. If you follow the recommendations above, then this problem can certainly be avoided.

Today we will tell you how to beat egg whites correctly. We will reveal a few secrets and give useful tips.

Many recipes use whipped whites, from tender and fluffy soufflés to crispy meringues. It so happens that for some reason the whites do not whip up - most often this happens due to errors in technology. Follow our advice and you will succeed.

Use deep glass, ceramic, or stainless steel or copper pans. Wash it well and dry it: the whites will not churn if the dishes are damp. Fat will also prevent proteins from growing into foam, so it is not recommended to use plastic dishes - they are porous, and an oil film may remain in the pores of the plastic. By the way, you can degrease the beating bowl with a slice of lemon.

Eggs

The easiest way to whip is whites at room temperature - they are more easily enriched with air. However, it is much easier to separate the whites from the yolks if the eggs are cold. Therefore, it is first recommended to separate the whites from the yolks, and then heat the whites: either leave them at room temperature, or put them in a bowl with very warm, but not hot water.

And, of course, the eggs must be fresh, so they will beat much faster.

Additives

To make the foam dense and not fall, add to the proteins:

• a pinch of salt: it helps to stabilize proteins, with it not even the freshest eggs form a dense foam. Add salt at the beginning of work;
• a pinch of citric acid works in the same way as salt, but it is added towards the end of the whisk;
• sugar for meringue not added immediately. First you need to beat the whites until foamy, and then add sugar or powdered sugar, but little by little, whisking thoroughly each time. With the addition of sugar, the proteins will become dense and glossy.

How to beat egg whites with a mixer

To begin with, make sure that the mixer beaters are dry and clean. And now the fun begins:

• first stage: light foam. Begin whisking the egg whites at the lowest speed. Now you can add a pinch of salt to beat the whites faster. Beat egg whites on low speed until light foam;
• second stage: add a little citric acid as soon as the proteins form a light white foam;
• third stage: soft peaks. Switch the mixer to medium speed and continue beating the egg whites. The soft peaks are very easy to identify: if you turn the bowl over, they will not pour out, but the “peak” on the whisk will not hold its shape and will go down. If you are making dessert, sugar is usually added at this stage. Powdered sugar is best, add 1-2 tablespoons at a time;
• fourth stage: hard peaks. Continue to beat the whites at medium speed, and soon you will see that the mass has become dense, shiny, and if you take the mixer whisk out of the bowl, the “peaks” on it will not fall, but will keep their shape;
• beat the whites for the meringue. Meringue is whites whipped with sugar. To make the mass thick and shiny, you need to beat the whites for about 5 minutes after adding all the sugar. The mass should be smooth and uniform.

How to whisk the whites by hand

If you don't have a mixer or don't want to use it, you can beat the whites the old fashioned way, by hand. This can be done with a whisk or, if it is not available, with ordinary forks. Here are some tips on how to do it:

• if you do not have a whisk, take two forks, fold them with the prongs to each other - that’s what a whisk is;
• it will take longer to beat the eggs with a whisk than with a mixer - it can take up to half an hour;
• whisk the whites in one direction so that they do not fall off;
• add salt, acid and sugar in the same order as when beating with a mixer;
• for whipping by hand, we strongly recommend taking powdered sugar - beat the whites until the sugar dissolves, your hand gets tired.

What to do if the proteins are overwhelmed

If you overdo it, then the proteins can easily be overwhelmed. Then you won't get meringue, cream, or lush biscuit. How to identify overwhelmed proteins?

• proteins will decrease in volume;
• pieces of proteins will remain on the walls of the bowl, similar to granules;
• the mass will appear curled up.

This, however, can be fixed: just add another protein and beat again.

* Photos are taken from open sources on the Internet.

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A classic skill that any skilled professional chef or hobbyist should possess is skillfully beating egg whites. Inexperienced housewives often make mistakes, because they do not know the nuances and little secrets. It's really easy to get well-whipped whites with sugar or powdered sugar. This requires a little experience and knowledge of culinary subtleties.

Dishes and equipment for whipping

The best place to start for a successful culinary experience is choosing the right cookware. It is not recommended to whip the protein in a copper or aluminum container, but a weighty, glass container with high sides is ideal.

The next item, without which it is difficult to get a snow-white, silk, protein mass, is a blender or mixer. The result of manually whipping the protein with sugar can be an unpleasant surprise. It is theoretically possible to whip the whites by hand, but for this you need to have the strength of your hands.

The basics of the basics

Protein, as a food biochemical substance, is afraid of moisture, grease, specks and dust. Therefore, if your goal is flawlessly whipped whites, be careful with separating the whites from the yolk, as this procedure also requires some skill and accuracy.

If the yolk or shell gets into the white, the process may not work. Clean, dry dishes are the main and indispensable condition for whipping the protein with sugar well.

The freshest or, conversely, stale eggs can disrupt the entire cooking technology, therefore, it is optimal to use eggs that are two weeks old. After the preparatory activities are completed, the eggs must be allowed to reach room temperature. Cold or chilled whites do not whip well.

Which is better - sugar or powdered sugar?

With powdered sugar, the protein texture will be softer, and the powdered sugar itself will dissolve faster and easily enter the protein. The proportions of sugar and protein for different dishes may differ, sometimes when whipping is incommensurate, an imbalanced balance of ingredients can also cause unsuccessfully whipped proteins. On average, products are taken in the proportion: 50 grams of sugar or powdered sugar per protein.

How to beat whites with sugar

The process must be started at low speed. First you need to beat some whites, without sugar. Wait for the whites to turn white and frothy. Next, you need to continue to beat, adding speed and revolutions. Outwardly, the proteins become thicker, but they still do not hold their shape enough and flow down from the corolla.

This is the most crucial moment when adding powdered sugar is required. Do not pour everything out at once, but add it gradually.

If granulated sugar is used, then it must be introduced carefully, pouring it onto the edge of the container, and not into the middle. Now the speed can be increased, so that the proteins will quickly reach the desired state.

If the mass is dense, shiny and clearly keeps its shape, then the base is ready. The whole process takes no more than 5-6 minutes. Some housewives add a pinch of salt to the proteins. This speeds up the whipping process somewhat.

Checking the result can be simple, albeit unusual: turn the dishes with the whipped egg whites upside down - the mass should not fall.

To whip up a dense, thick and persistent protein foam, it is important to choose the right dishes. It is best to use a small enamelled saucepan or deep glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bowl. It is believed that whites are best whipped in copper dishes, but copper bowls and pots are a rarity in modern kitchens. You cannot whip the whites in an aluminum bowl, otherwise the cream will take on a grayish tint. Food-grade plastic is also not suitable - the thinnest fatty film may be present on its surface, and the ingress of fat into proteins will prevent them from turning into lush foam. That is why the dishes in which the cream is prepared must be perfectly clean and absolutely dry.

Despite the popular belief that whites are best refrigerated before whipping, it is still advisable to use foods at room temperature. Chilled whites whisk faster, but produce less high and stable foam. It is necessary to use only fresh eggs - long-term storage impairs their taste, in addition, the whites of eggs stored for a long time are not beaten well.

Begin whipping at a low speed, with even movements of a mixer or whisk. As white foam appears, the speed can be increased. It is important to beat the entire volume of the product so that no liquid protein remains at the bottom of the cup or saucepan.

When the mass has increased by about three times, you can add a pinch of salt or a drop of citric acid or lemon juice (no more than a quarter teaspoon of salt or acid for 4 proteins). This will speed up the whipping process and help keep the protein mass in shape.

Sugar or powdered sugar should be added when the whites have already been whipped into a soft, thick foam, and pour into the whites little by little, without stopping whipping - if you pour everything out at once, the mass will become liquid and no longer hold its shape. One protein requires at least two tablespoons of sugar or powder, while no more than half a teaspoon should be added at a time. It is better to use sugar fine, without lumps, and it is advisable to sift the powder before adding it to the proteins.

Correctly whipped sugar-protein mass increases in volume by 4-5 times, looks dense, homogeneous and shiny and forms stable "peaks" - when the corolla is raised, a sharp, non-falling "tail" should stretch behind it. When rubbing a small amount of foam, grains of sugar should not be felt in the fingers - otherwise, beating should be continued until the crystals are completely dissolved. You can check if the foam is beaten well enough by turning the bowl over - if everything is done correctly, the foam will not start flowing down.

It so happens that only the yolks of eggs are required for cooking, and the proteins need to be attached somewhere. There are tons of great recipes with this ingredient, but if you don't have the time or desire to do something right away, the proteins can be saved by freezing. After thawing, they retain all their properties, whip perfectly and do not lose their useful qualities. I'll tell you how to do it right.

Ingredients

Preparation

This is a very simple way to freeze egg whites. You can separate the white from the yolk in any way convenient for you. I just beat him in half and toss the yolk from the shell to the shell over the bowl, into which the egg white flows. Wash and dry the eggs with a napkin.

I highly recommend breaking the eggs one at a time, this will exclude the ingress of a particle of yolk if the third or fourth egg breaks its shell. If the yolk gets into the bowl, then nothing can be whipped into a foam with high quality. Also, make sure that the bowl and freezer container are absolutely clean without traces of fat, which may also prevent a full-fledged cap from rising when whipping.

I already have 4 proteins frozen in a plastic container, I will add more to the same.

Just pour on top.

Cover with a lid. Tight.

So, when freezing egg whites, be sure to pay attention to the cleanliness of the dishes. A napkin dipped in vinegar will help get rid of traces of fat. Just wipe the inside of the container.

To defrost, place the container from the freezer into the refrigerator and thaw slowly until completely thawed. Then mix the whites gently until smooth.

• Instead of a container, you can use fat-free silicone muffin tins. Once completely frozen, the proteins can be transferred to an airtight bag. It is very convenient to use it separately in the future.
• The product will sit for several months without any problems. The maximum period of such storage is about a year.