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egg whites as lightening agents? good?

Discussion in 'Pastries & Baking' started by kazeya, Jan 28, 2010.

  1. Jan 28, 2010 #1
    kazeya

    kazeya

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    hi all! i've recently made a green tea bavarian cream..however instead of using whipped cream to give it body and lighten it up..i decided to use a simple swiss meringue instead.

    however...to my despair..beeding occured and soon after the cream became watery and the texture was baddd...unlike the desired creamy and bouncy bavarian texture :(

    so then it came to my mind whether egg whites are really good to be used to lighten up mousses and creams. ive read somewhere that egg whites tend to beed and weep if stored in the refrigeration due to the fact taht sugar crystals are hygroscopic and that it absorbs moisture from the surrounding air.

    as compared to cream which is a good lightening agent as it does not have any weeping and beeding problems..

    it could be my technique or recipe..but i just used the standard 1 : 2 ratio of egg to sugar when making a meringue.

    looking forward to some good explanation on this :roll:
     
  2. Jan 28, 2010 #2
    chris.lawrence

    chris.lawrence

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    The phenolic compounds in the green tea are reacting to the proteins similar to an enzymatic reaction, which is forcing the proteins to unwind and bind too suddenly and it can't hold on to the water molecules.

    Either use green tea powder; or "flavour" which will contain much less astringent phenolics, or stabilise with a starch.
     
  3. Jan 28, 2010 #3
    kazeya

    kazeya

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    hmm i did use the green tea powder..but it still beed :( had all those tiny holes here and there :( hmm when u say stabilise with a starch? what starch exactly?

    do you suppose i use a cornstarch mixture? coz i read it helps stabilize the meringue without causing it to beed and weep..do you know the method to do so? enlighten mee ^^:rolleyes:
     
  4. Jan 28, 2010 #4
    dillonsmimi

    dillonsmimi

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    Meringue will only hold so much fat with out breaking. Do not dispair...try getting the whole mixture cold and then whip the crap out of it. It may come back....
     
  5. Jan 28, 2010 #5
    chris.lawrence

    chris.lawrence

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    Starch starch; potato starch, corn starch, flour; modified starches; xanthan, whisk it in with the green tea powder as the egg white have formed into stiff peaks.

    The problem is a protein-protein bond through the sulphur groups; this can be inhibited through a little help; copper; powdered or a copper-plated bowl silver; silver plated bowl, or an acid; 2ml lemon juice per egg white. This will help stabilise your base before adding the starch and the green tea.
     
  6. Jan 28, 2010 #6
    kazeya

    kazeya

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    hmm but im whipping the egg whites into the bavarian cream instead of using whipped cream. i was thinking of cutting the cost by replacing the whipped cream with the beaten egg whites..was this the actual cause of the beading?

    because bavarian creams recipes usually call for whipped cream to lighten it right..i used egg whites instead..:D was this the problem?
     
  7. Jan 28, 2010 #7
    boar_d_laze

    boar_d_laze

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    There's no such thing as "instead of [...] whipped cream" in a Bavarian. You might be able to lighten a yogurt mousse with egg white -- given enough gelatin; you could certainly make an o-cha "fluff" which would be closer to a Bavarian for that matter. But an actual Bavarian without whipped cream? No.

    Even recipes feel the difference between "cutting costs" and "stealing." There's only so far you can take substitutions, and egg whites for cream in a Bavarian crossed the line.

    BDL
     
  8. Jan 28, 2010 #8
    dillonsmimi

    dillonsmimi

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    I came at this from a different direction. Meringue buttercream icings often have flavored creams or custards added for flavoring. If the OP has not thrown the batch away, why not try to resurrect (nothing extra added, so no loss, probable gain)? Next time the cream would be the correct direction to take.
     
  9. Jan 29, 2010 #9
    m brown

    m brown

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    Chiboust is lightened with meringue and is not something that can be held for a long period of time due to that fragility.

    Another thought, the meringue may not have been made properly so it could not hold.
     
  10. Jan 31, 2010 #10
    kazeya

    kazeya

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    hmmm thanks for all the above replies..but i guess we really cant substitute the "cream" in bavarois :p!

    that would be totally disrespectful to the bavarois altogether but you know we're always looking for alternatives to ingredients for the just incase moments :p!

    i read somewhere that no matter how good the meringue is..it'll eventually whip if stored in the refridgerator due to the hygroscopic properties of sugar :lol:
     
  11. Jan 31, 2010 #11
    boar_d_laze

    boar_d_laze

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  12. Jan 31, 2010 #12
    siduri

    siduri

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    Is that what is in saint honore' ? I remember a cream that was not a bavarian but had something like egg white added to it.
     
  13. Jan 31, 2010 #13
    blueicus

    blueicus

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    Yes, Gateau Saint Honore is filled with chiboust
     
  14. Jan 31, 2010 #14
    siduri

    siduri

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    Thanks Bluicus. I made it once, long long ago. It was wonderful. Didn't remember the name though but the description sounded familiar.
     
  15. Jan 31, 2010 #15
    boar_d_laze

    boar_d_laze

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    I'm not sure about this, but if memory serves Chiboust (the actual French baker) is credited with creating Gateau St Honore. And of course with "chiboust" too.

    BDL
     
  16. Jan 31, 2010 #16
    siduri

    siduri

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    Oh no, BDL, you've broken my bubble. I thought it was invented by a saint! or that the chef was later sainted for having invented it.