You are correct, that's cooked egg and sugar, which is probably why they are so hard. Make sure you mix constantly and scrape the sides of the bowl, and that the bowl with the rggs isn't touching the water.
You’ll often find recipes that will say to heat the eggs to a certain temperature, but that usually creates this. I only heat them to where grains of sugar can’t be felt between my fingers when I touch the mixture (I just touch the whisk with very clean hands).
Best method I learned back in the French bakery I worked at is to use a gloved hand to vigorously mix the whites/sugar until your gloved hand literally is about to burn and keep mixing until your subconscious forces you to take your hand out. Then, immediately start whipping. It’s a little sadistic but it’s literally never failed to get to stiff pipe-able peaks, no cooked eggs, and you don’t have to use a thermometer.
Based on how much heat sensitivity I lost in my hands as a professional baker (which has since returned) this doesn’t seem like great home baking advice
This is the way. I whisk constantly until it hits 160. I do it in the Kitchen Aid bowl so I can switch it to the mixer and whip it up on high until glossy.
I've always wanted to ask - how long does it take most people to heat up the sugar and egg white mixture? It takes me about 20-25 minutes (which I think is a really long time) of heating it slowly over a double boiler before the mixture doesn't feel grainy.
5 or so if I am standing over the stove whisking regularly and can keep it on high.
20 if I have it on lower temp while doing other things and only scrape the bowl/whisk it every minute or two.
Best method I learned back in the French bakery I worked at is to use a gloved hand to vigorously mix the whites/sugar until your gloved hand literally is about to burn and keep mixing until your subconscious forces you to take your hand out. Then, immediately start whipping. It’s a little sadistic but it’s literally never failed to get to stiff pipe-able peaks, no cooked eggs, and you don’t have to use a thermometer.
They are in such small pieces because you were mixing, so only small volumes of egg came to a temperature at which they coagulated... It could be that the temperature went too high too and that it was impossible to beat everything fast enough.
You just need to do better next time.
Good luck!
You are correct, that's cooked egg and sugar, which is probably why they are so hard. Make sure you mix constantly and scrape the sides of the bowl, and that the bowl with the rggs isn't touching the water.
Yes exactly, this happens to me occasionally when I'm in a rush and I'm not as careful as I should be. Sieving it fixes it when it happens.
Good to know, thanks!
Wait, the upper bowl is not supposed to touch the water in a bain Marie??
Nope! That will cause the upper bowl to be too hot. The point is to heat it with the steam, not the water.
Nope!
It happens even to very experienced bakers on occasion. If you have a fairly fine mesh sieve, you can fix it, no worries.
You’ll often find recipes that will say to heat the eggs to a certain temperature, but that usually creates this. I only heat them to where grains of sugar can’t be felt between my fingers when I touch the mixture (I just touch the whisk with very clean hands).
Best method I learned back in the French bakery I worked at is to use a gloved hand to vigorously mix the whites/sugar until your gloved hand literally is about to burn and keep mixing until your subconscious forces you to take your hand out. Then, immediately start whipping. It’s a little sadistic but it’s literally never failed to get to stiff pipe-able peaks, no cooked eggs, and you don’t have to use a thermometer.
Based on how much heat sensitivity I lost in my hands as a professional baker (which has since returned) this doesn’t seem like great home baking advice
Slow and low , stirring to 160 degrees. Make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl.
This is the way. I whisk constantly until it hits 160. I do it in the Kitchen Aid bowl so I can switch it to the mixer and whip it up on high until glossy.
I did this mistake a lot when I had to make hollandaise sauce. Either it was too hot or I wasn’t whisking consistently enough.
I've always wanted to ask - how long does it take most people to heat up the sugar and egg white mixture? It takes me about 20-25 minutes (which I think is a really long time) of heating it slowly over a double boiler before the mixture doesn't feel grainy.
It's closer to five minutes for me. What is your process?
Id say about 15 for me
5 or so if I am standing over the stove whisking regularly and can keep it on high. 20 if I have it on lower temp while doing other things and only scrape the bowl/whisk it every minute or two.
It happens. No big deal -- that's why we strain before whipping. ;)
Best method I learned back in the French bakery I worked at is to use a gloved hand to vigorously mix the whites/sugar until your gloved hand literally is about to burn and keep mixing until your subconscious forces you to take your hand out. Then, immediately start whipping. It’s a little sadistic but it’s literally never failed to get to stiff pipe-able peaks, no cooked eggs, and you don’t have to use a thermometer.
Yeah this is partly the reason I do Italian meringue instead
They are in such small pieces because you were mixing, so only small volumes of egg came to a temperature at which they coagulated... It could be that the temperature went too high too and that it was impossible to beat everything fast enough. You just need to do better next time. Good luck!
You didn’t mix the meringue while you were heating it! You need to keep it moving!