Functions of Eggs in Recipes

1
Functions of Eggs in Recipes
2
EMULSIFIER

• An emulsion is a mixture that forms when
  liquids are combined that do not normally mix.
• For example, take oil and vinegar salad dressing.
• The vinegar and seasonings sink to the bottom
  and the oil floats to the top. BUT add an egg
  yolk in the correct manner and the two will
  combine to form a permanent emulsion.

3
Food items that use the egg as an emulsifier
include

• Mayonnaise - ingredients include egg yolk,
  vinegar, lemon juice, oil, and seasonings. The
  lemon juice vinegar typically separate from the
  oil, but add eggs (the EMULSIFIER) and they
  permanently combine.
• Hollandaise Sauce (in Eggs Benedict) the
  ingredients are very similar to mayonnaise with
  the exception of butter for the oil, and no
  vinegar. The egg yolks slowly cook while being
  whipped, preventing separation of the sauce.

4
Gordon Ramsay makes Mayonaisse
5
LEAVENING AGENT

• By vigorously beating egg whites and you add air
  to create an egg foam. This egg foam acts as a
  leavening agent to help the product rise, and the
  protein in the egg white helps it hold its
  structure.

6
Food items that use the egg as an leavening agent
(foam)include

• Angel Food Cake- the main ingredient is egg
  whites (12 of them) which are beaten with cream
  of tartar to stabilize the foam, and later sugar.
  Flour is folded in to the egg foam and baked.
  The proteins coagulate to hold the structure, but
  the air is also suspended in the foam to assist
  in the rising of the product.
• Meringue very similar to angel food cake,
  however there is no flour, just egg white, cream
  of tartar (or other acid) and sugar. This is
  baked for either a soft meringue as in pie
  topping or a stiff meringue shell as in pavlovas.

7
How to Whip Egg Whites

8
THICKENER

• Heat causes egg proteins to coagulate. Because
  of this they act as good thickeners.
• Examples
• Hollandaise sauce, custards, lemon curd.
• Stirring constantly is necessary to
  prevent lumps.

9
Alton Brown demonstrates Lemon Curd
10
BINDING AGENT

• Eggs act as a binding agent that hold
  ingredients together.
• An example of this is meatloaf. The egg protein
  coagulates during the cooking and keeps the meat,
  bread crumbs, and onions together in a loaf.

11
Easy meatloaf recipe

• Ingredients
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion,
  milk and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with
  salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly
  greased 5x9 inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf
  and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking
  dish.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the brown
  sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour
  over the meatloaf.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.
  

The when the egg in this recipe cooks, its
proteins bind with the onion, bread crumbs, and
meat and helps to form the loaf.
12
INTERFERING AGENT

• New York style ice cream includes eggs in the
  recipe. Eggs act as an interfering agent in
  frozen desserts by preventing the formation of
  large ice crystals and keep ice cream creamy.

13
STRUCTURE

• The coagulation of the egg protein helps hold
  the structure in baked products such as muffins,
  creampuffs, and cakes.

14
NUTRIENT ADDITIVE

• Eggs are high in protein, cholesterol, and
  certain vitamins and minerals.
• They can stand alone as a main dish in things
  like omelets or soufflés.
• They also provide protein to desserts such as
  custards.

15
RICHNESS, TENDERNESS, FLAVOR COLOR

• Eggs add important flavor to dishes, especially
  egg-rich ones like custard cream puff shells.
• The fat in eggs add a richness to baked goods
  making them flavorful and tender.
• The orange yolks give a yellow color to yellow
  cakes, vanilla pudding, and many other light
  colored foods that include eggs.

16
In Summary

• Eggs are an important ingredient in a variety of
  recipes.
• They act as an emulsifier to combine oils with
  other liquid ingredients they would not normally
  combine with.
• Whipping them adds air and structure to our
  light, fluffy cakes.
• Cooking the yolks with milk thickens our
  puddings, custards and other creamy desserts.
• Adding eggs to our ice cream interferes with ice
  crystal formation to improve the texture.
• The proteins in eggs bind with other ingredients
  to hold the structure of a recipe together.
• They add flavor, color, tenderness, and richness
  to a huge variety of things we eat every day.
• And finally, eggs are nutritious and provide and
  inexpensive source of protein, fat, vitamins, and
  minerals.