How to temper eggs | Canadian Living

Summary

This video script offers a masterclass in tempering eggs, a culinary technique essential for creating velvety sauces like ice cream custard and creme anglaise. The host debunks the myth of tempering being complicated, demonstrating how to whisk egg yolks with warm milk and cream until they form a smooth, luscious sauce. The key is to avoid boiling the mixture to prevent lumpy, scrambled eggs. The tutorial promises to turn viewers into sauce-making experts, ensuring silky smooth results every time.

Takeaways

• 🍳 Tempering eggs is essential for making custards, ice creams, and creme anglaise without curdling.
• 🥚 Egg yolks are typically whisked with a mixture of warm milk to create a smooth sauce.
• 🥄 The process involves gentle cooking of the egg yolks to avoid creating a lumpy or scrambled texture.
• 🔥 Heating the milk and cream until bubbles form around the edges is a crucial step, but it should not boil.
• 🥣 Combining eggs and sugar before adding the heated milk and cream is a common preparation method.
• 🍲 Once the milk and cream are heated, they should be gradually incorporated into the egg yolk mixture to temper it.
• 🔥 Cooking the mixture on medium-low heat is important to ensure a smooth texture and prevent scrambling.
• 📏 The mixture is ready when it coats the back of a spoon, indicating the right consistency for custards and sauces.
• 🚫 Avoiding a boil is key to prevent lumps and maintain a silky texture in the final product.
• 🍦 The technique is applicable to various desserts, including ice cream and custard-based dishes.
• 👩‍🍳 Mastery of tempering eggs is a fundamental skill in the culinary arts for creating luscious sauces and desserts.

Q & A

What is the common process among ice cream, custard, creme anglaise, and other similar dishes?

The common process is tempering eggs, which involves whisking egg yolks with a mixture of warm milk until they gently cook to form a smooth sauce.

What does 'tempering eggs' mean in the context of cooking?

Tempering eggs means gradually incorporating a hot liquid into beaten egg yolks to slowly raise their temperature without curdling.

Why is it important to avoid boiling the milk and cream mixture when tempering eggs?

Boiling the mixture can cause the eggs to cook too quickly, resulting in lumps and a scrambled, goopy texture instead of a smooth sauce.

What should you do with the milk and cream mixture before adding it to the egg yolks?

You should heat the milk and cream mixture until bubbles form around the edges without boiling.

How do you know when the egg yolk and milk mixture is ready for use in these recipes?

The mixture is ready when it coats the back of a spoon, indicating that it has thickened sufficiently without boiling.

What is the purpose of adding sugar to the egg yolks before tempering?

Adding sugar to the egg yolks helps to stabilize them and can also add sweetness to the final dish.

Why is it necessary to scrape the heated milk and cream mixture back into the saucepan?

This step is to combine the hot milk and cream with the egg yolks gradually, ensuring a smooth mixture without curdling.

What is the recommended heat setting for cooking the egg yolk and milk mixture to achieve a silky texture?

Cooking the mixture on medium-low heat is recommended to gently cook the eggs without scrambling them.

How can you tell if the egg yolk mixture has cooked enough to create a luscious sauce?

The mixture has cooked enough when it has thickened to the point where it coats the back of a spoon smoothly.

What is the main difference between a successful sauce and a failed, goopy scrambled mess when tempering eggs?

The main difference is the temperature control and gradual incorporation of the hot liquid, which prevents the eggs from curdling and scrambling.

Can you provide an example of a failed egg tempering result?

A failed result would be a lumpy, separated, and goopy scrambled mess, which indicates that the eggs have cooked too quickly or the mixture boiled.