Obj. 2.05

1. Obj. 2.05 Important Facts About Eggs

2. Parts of an Egg • Shell: needs to be free of cracks or bacteria can get into the egg • Albumen: white part of the egg. Rich in protein. • Yolk: yellow part of the egg. Contains fat, cholesterol, vitamins A and D. • Chalazae: thick strands that hold the albumen in place in the egg. Looks like an umbilical cord. Egg Shell Albumen Yolk

3. Functions of Eggs in Cooking • Binding: eggs bind (hold together) ingredients in a recipe. Ex. Meatloaf • Emulsifying: eggs hold together two ingredients that normally would not stay mixed, like oil and vinegar. Ex. Mayonnaise • Providing structure: eggs expand with heat and provide structure to baked goods. Ex. Cooked custard.

4. How to Beat Egg Whites to a Foam • To successfully beat egg whites to a foam one has to follow certain guidelines: a. Separate egg whites from egg yolk correctly: no trace of egg yolk can be present in the egg whites, or they will not foam due to the presence of fat in egg yolks. b. Only use bowls and utensils made of non-porous material such as metal or glass. c. Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. d. Use cream of tartar to stabilize the egg whites and help them come to a richer foam.

5. Soft Peaks or Stiff Peaks? • If the recipe calls for egg whites beaten to soft peaks, whip them until the mixture bend over like waves when you lift the mixer’s beaters up • If the recipe calls for stiff peaks, whip the eggs until the mixture stands up straight when the beaters are lifted from the mixture. • CAUTION: when you add the egg whites foam to the rest of the ingredients, use the “fold” technique or all the air that you incorporated in the foam will go away and your recipe will come out flat.

6. Cooking Eggs • Hard boiled: boil eggs in water. As soon as the water boils remove the pan from the heat source and let stand in the hot water for 12-15 minutes. Pour the hot water out and replace with cold water. Peel and refrigerate immediately. To avoid the egg yolk to turn green, do not overcook them. • REMEMBER: fresh eggs are harder to peel than older eggs.

7. Cooking Eggs, cont… • Poaching: healthy way to cook an egg. Break the egg in simmering water and cook until done. • Frying: break eggs in a greased skillet and fry until the whites are set and the yolk is thick. • Scrambled: beat eggs before pouring them into a hot and greased skillet. Cook and stir until they thicken. • Baked: called shirred eggs. Break eggs and pour them into a ramekin or shallow baking pan. Bake at 325˚F. for about 15 or until thick. • Microwaving: never microwaving eggs in the shell and do not overcook. Pour eggs in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring often.

8. Nutritional Value • They are a nutrient-dense food because they contain about 75 calories, but are loaded with nutrients such as: • Protein • Fat and cholesterol • Folate • Vitamin D and A • Did you know that the color of the egg has nothing to do with its nutritional value?