Why use cream of tartar to beat egg whites?

Question

How fresh does it meed to be? Why isn't cream of rartar needed when beating with a whisk in a copper bowl?

Answer 1

The bowl you use makes a difference when you are whipping egg whites. Copper bowls produce a yellowish, creamy foam that is harder to overbeat that the foam produced using glass or stainless steel bowls. When you whisk egg whites in a copper bowl, some copper ions migrate from the bowl into the egg whites. The copper ions form a yellow complex with one of the proteins in eggs, conalbumin. The conalbumin-copper complex is more stable than the conalbumin alone, so egg whites whipped in a copper bowl are less likely to denature (unfold).
When air is whisked into egg whites, the mechanical action denatures the proteins in the whites. The denatured proteins coagulate, stiffening the foam and stabilizing the air bubbles. If the foam is overbeaten in a non-copper bowl, eventually the proteins become completely denatured and coagulate into clumps. There is no going back from the clumpy mess to nice foamy whites, so overbeaten whites are usually discarded.

If a copper bowl is used, then fewer protein molecules are free to denature and coagulate, because some are tied up in conalbumin-copper complexes. In addition to forming complexes with conalbumin, the copper may also react with sulfur-containing groups on other proteins, further stabilizing the egg proteins. Although the iron and zinc found in other metal bowls also form complexes with conalbumin, these complexes don't make the foam more stable. When glass or steel bowls are used, cream of tartar may be added to egg whites to stabilize the whites.

Answer 2

Cream of tartar is an acid. Without an acid, egg whites will separate during whipping and then they will be hard to incorporate into your recipe, or on their own (meringues). Cream of tartar also prevents the whipped egg whites from releasing their water content, giving you more time to work with them, if needed. If you've ever whipped egg whites without any acid, you will have noticed that within a minute or two after being whipped, that water had developed in the bottom of the bowl and that the egg whites are floating over it.
When you're ready to whip your egg whites, add an acid to them such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar, usually about 1/4 teaspoon (of either acids) for every 2 whites. I prefer using cream of tartar, because it is flavourless, which is ideal to use. Lemon juice and vinegar, on the other hand, will leave their taste in the whites and you might not want this.

Answer 3

For some recipes, it's very important tht the egg whites have 'Integrity', in other words, they need to hold up longer. A meringue pie topping would be a good example of that. I'm an experienced cook and generally if the recipe calls for Cream of Tartar, I go ahead and use it, just to ensure recipe sucess.

Answer 4

Cream of tartar is terrific customary in our kitchens for assisting stabilize and supply greater quantity to overwhelmed egg whites. this is the acidic element in some manufacturers of baking powder. this is extensively utilized to offer a creamier texture in sugary cakes which includes candy and frosting. that's used commercially in some comfortable beverages, goodies, bakery products, gelatin cakes, and photographs products. Cream of tartar is additionally used to bathe brass and copper cookware. while you're beating eggs whites and don't have cream of tartar, you may exchange white vinegar (in a similar ratio as cream of tartar, frequently a million/8 teaspoon in keeping with egg white). this is somewhat greater troublesome to discover another to cream of tartar in baking projects. White vinegar or lemon juice, in the ratio of thrice the quantity of cream of tartar referred to as for, will grant the splendid volume of acid for many recipes. yet that quantity of liquid could reason different issues in the recipe, and bakers have chanced on that brownies made with vinegar or lemon juice have a coarser grain and are greater services to shrinking than those made with cream of tartar.

Answer 5

You dont need to use cream of tartar, I never do. If you need a stabilising agent, lemon juice or a drop of vinegar will do just as well.

Answer 6

You don't really need cream of tartar, I think it just makes the whites a bit stiffer.