# Egg chemistry in baking



## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

My daughter loves watching the Tasty cooking demo videos and she was watching one about cookies I believe and the cook stated that for the best result separate you yolks and whites (not waiting or whipping the whites, just literally like add the yolks, stir, then add the whites, stir.) They stated that this changes how the product will come out as opposed to just adding whole eggs. It didn't seem like too much could be happening that was so drastically different by adding the egg this way but I really don't know as I am not a baker. So I am reaching out to you pros out there that maybe can shed some light on this.

So in short does adding a yolk, and then the whites immediately after incorporating the yolk really make that big of a difference than just adding eggs whole that this should be a common practice?


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

After creaming sugar and butter?

I don’t think I ever saw such direction and would probably ignore it I’d i did. Blending whole egg with creamed butter/sugar always worked fine for me.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

Wow.....that sounds like some next-level bullsh*t to me. Were they saying that process applies to any baked item across the board or did it apply to specifically that cookie recipe? Regardless, unless you're doing something different with the whites (like whipping them) or the amount of whites is different from the number of yolks, there is no reason to separate the eggs unless you really like making extra work for yourself.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Harold McGee mentions separate aeration of fats and eggs technique of some bakers similar but not identical to the OP. Page 558 of the revised edition. No more explanation than that. 

I suppose that is the thinking of the cooking hosts but they didn't execute it properly.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Well...yeah, it kinda makes sense. Adding yolks first, you are adding fat and aiding with emulsion, whereas whites are mostly water, so you add them after your emulsion or mix is completed.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

It was in reference to this specific cooking demonstration but the way they explained it made it sound like it was something they were recommending as a technique. They also were not whipping the whites and folding them in or anything. It was just stated that the end product differed depending on if you added the yolk and whites separate as opposed to a whole egg.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

I cannot see how doing it this way would result in any discernible difference in the end product though. I think this is a case of "are the results worth the extra effort?" I would say no.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Whenever I get curious enough about cooking suppositions and the possible existence of discernible differences, I like to determine for myself if there is any validity that is applicable to me. The best way that I know of to do this, is by doing a side by side comparison test.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

cheflayne said:


> Whenever I get curious enough about cooking suppositions and the possible existence of discernible differences, I like to determine for myself if there is any validity that is applicable to me. The best way that I know of to do this, is by doing a side by side comparison test.


I'm sure my wife and kids will have no objection to doing cookie tests but I will be the one stuck with all the cleaning.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Seoul Food said:


> I'm sure my wife and kids will have no objection to doing cookie tests but I will be the one stuck with all the cleaning.


:~) Yeah there are drawbacks, but being a solution oriented type of guy I like to focus on the payoffs...*cookies!!!*


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

cheflayne said:


> Whenever I get curious enough about cooking suppositions and the possible existence of discernible differences, I like to determine for myself if there is any validity that is applicable to me. The best way that I know of to do this, is by doing a side by side comparison test.


I do it a slightly different way... by first asking myself, "if this is such a great idea why isn't it already common practice".


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

cheflayne said:


> Whenever I get curious enough about cooking suppositions and the possible existence of discernible differences, I like to determine for myself if there is any validity that is applicable to me. The best way that I know of to do this, is by doing a side by side comparison test.


What he said...

I remember very early on making a cookie dough and subbing regular granulated sugar for powdered sugar when creaming the butter. The boss knew right away after tasting, dressed me down (a.k.a "z'ammenschiesse" in Swiss-German) and told me never to sub ingredients again.

Little things do make a difference....


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

foodpump said:


> What he said...
> 
> I remember very early on making a cookie dough and subbing regular granulated sugar for powdered sugar when creaming the butter. The boss knew right away after tasting, dressed me down (a.k.a "z'ammenschiesse" in Swiss-German) and told me never to sub ingredients again.
> 
> Little things do make a difference....


True, but you gotta admit there is quite a big difference when you use powdered sugar vs. granulated. That's completely noticeable. In this specific instance where you are talking about adding yolks separately from the whites in a COOKIE DOUGH, it would be extremely hard for me to believe there is any discernible difference. However, as y'all have said, there's nothing like a side-by-side comparison which I'm not averse to doing. And I probably will.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

brianshaw said:


> I do it a slightly different way... by first asking myself, "if this is such a great idea why isn't it already common practice".


I wonder if Columbus asked that question before he set sail?


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

I made a batch of pancakes this way once - when I try a new recipe I try to follow it as written the first time. I kept the recipe as it made great pancakes, but dropped the extra step as we could not tell the difference between the two methods.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

cheflayne said:


> I wonder if Columbus asked that question before he set sail?


That's a fair question. I'm sure he did... and then decided that in his experience and given his motivation that it was worth the multiple journeys.

I have been baking cookies for about 56 years and never saw this technique... plus actually spent some time googling around and couldn't find a single recipe recommendation for this technique. And I don't recall it recommended in any book in my extensive cookbook library.

Nor do I recall my mother or any of my grandmothers doing that either.

And while McGee May have said something about it, he didn't say much. 

That, for me, is sufficient experience and motivation to disregard it as either a long-forgotten miracle cure or a new life-altering cookie- making technique.

But if someone wants to do that research I'll gladly consider their findings!


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

So you wouldnt want to try it next time, just for the heckuvit? If it doesn’t make any difference, then there’s nothing lost, with bonus bragging rights to “ y’know I tried out that technique but could find absolutely no difference.”

If it does make a difference, then you have one more arrow in your quiver...


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

foodpump said:


> So you wouldnt want to try it next time, just for the heckuvit? If it doesn't make any difference, then there's nothing lost...


Think of the lost time and ingredients with nothing to show for it but an extra batch of cookies with no difference. '_Oh the humanity!"_


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Post 15. That’s sufficient experimental data for me.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

brianshaw said:


> Post 15. That's sufficient experimental data for me.


It is for me too. However, because I always need sugar cookie dough, I will be performing this little experiment today most likely. I figure that sugar cookie dough would be perfect since it's probably the most simple cookie there is and any differences would be most discernible. Results later.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

OK. Results are in. I was originally going to do a sugar cookie dough as I mentioned above, but I had an order for these for this weekend, so I just split my large batch in half and did one with the eggs added whole and the other with the yolks and whites added separately. I also made sure I mixed each for the exact same amount of time at the same speed. Used the same pans, etc etc, to maintain consistency and uniformity.

These cookies are what I call "Orchestra Cookies" (that's what my clients call them). Basically they're just chocolate chip, oat and coconut cookies. The cookie on the left is the one with the yolk and white added separately. I added the yolk first, mixed well, then added the white, scraped down bowl and mixed again before adding the flour and other stuff. The cookie on the right was done the usual way; eggs added whole.

And.......no difference at all in looks or texture or taste. I had my husband do a blind taste of each one, and he couldn't tell any difference.

Maybe there is a cookie that exists that would benefit from the idea of adding the yolks and whites separately....I don't know. But for most basic cookie recipes, I'd say THIS MYTH IS BUSTED!


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm still just a wee bit skeptical. Please send samples for independent assessment. Let’s keep some sort of rigor in our scientific method. 

I’ll sidetext my address.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

chefpeon said:


> OK. Results are in... for most basic cookie recipes, I'd say THIS MYTH IS BUSTED!


Thanks for that chefpeon!



brianshaw said:


> I'm still just a wee bit skeptical. Please send samples for independent assessment. Let's keep some sort of rigor in our scientific method.
> 
> I'll sidetext my address.


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