5
WHISKING AND BEATING
A speck of grease will stop white
from whipping, so the mixing
bowl must be spotless. Rub with a
cut lemon if you have any doubts
Some recipes call for a little lemon
juice, vinegar or a pinch of salt.
These can help the whites to
incorporate plenty of air. Use the
balloon whisk. Start slowly and
only use a faster speed when the
mixture starts to turn white
•
• The following terms often appear,
relating to whisking egg whites:
S
So
offtt p
pe
ea
akk:: H
Ho
ow
w tto
o tte
ellll –
– Stop
whisking, pick up some egg white
on the end of the whisk and hold
it vertically. Wave the whisk. The
peak should wobble and fall over
gently, like the tip of a cat’s tail.
The mixture should be shiny
S
Sttiiffff p
pe
ea
akk:: H
Ho
ow
w tto
o tte
ellll –
– Repeat
the previous test. The little peak
should not move. If you tip the
bowl upside down, the contents
should remain stationary. The
mixture should be shiny and just
soft enough to spoon
O
Ovve
errb
be
ea
atte
en
n:: H
Ho
ow
w tto
o tte
ellll –
– This
can occur within a split second
after the stiff peak stage. You will
see a solid mass, which is
unredeemable. The whites have
lost their gloss and look
unappetising, and a spoon cuts
through the mixture like a knife. If
your not confident about when to
stop, use the balloon whisk in your
hand at the soft peak stage, when
the hard work has been done.
Only a few more “whisks” are
needed for perfect stiff peaks
• Choose a bowl larger than you
think you need: ingredients need
space to move. The bowl should
be deep, not wide and shallow, to
allow the whisk to get right into
the mixture to incorporate air
• Gently ‘stir’ the mix with the
whisk or beaters running, reaching
into all parts of the bowl.
Ingredients are whisked, beaten or
creamed to incorporate air. By
tipping the bowl at a safe angle,
even more air can get into the
mixture, resulting in light mixtures
and increased volume
•
• W
Wh
hiisskkiin
ng
g e
eg
gg
g w
wh
hiitte
ess - Whisked
egg whites provide the base for
soufflés and all types of
meringues. A little knowledge can
make the difference between
success and failure:
THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS
