Eggs are the basis of many pastries. Yet few people really understand their primary property. This lack of information and education about raw materials is surely the reason of many baked fails. I will never repeat it often enough : knowing raw materials is crucial if you want to make high-end pastries. Now, eggs can be found in various forms of egg products. I am going to explain the technical points that you need to know in order to master this ingredient that is so frequently used.
WHAT IS AN EGG MADE OF ?
The shell is a limestone envelope with microscopic holes. Be careful, never corner an eggshell to recover the white, because there are microbes in the shell. These holes allow air and humidity to pass through. This natural barrier keeps the humidity in and protects the egg against microbes.
The albumen coagulates and becomes hard and very white from 65°C and in contact with an acid (vinegar, lemon juice ...). It brings firmness when incorporated without being beaten in a cake dough. When they’ve been beaten, it gives lightness (for airy mousses) and helps the cake dough to rise during baking. This is due to humidity and air bubbles that expand when heated.
The chalazes are fibers and tendons (like a cord) allowing the yellow to stay inside the white.
The yolk coagulates when the temperature reaches 80 to 85°C. Surrounded by a membrane (yolk sac), this is what allows the yolk to remain solid and not burst when an egg is broken. The yolk is the thickener when it is gently heated in a cream (pastry, crème brûlée , custard ...).
Lipids (fats) and proteins are found in yellow. Lipids are made of lecithin, an emulsifier that allows the incorporation of air and moisture into yolks. This is very useful for making ice cream, buttercream, a sponge cake, a sabayon... The fat in the yolk also provides softness and serves as a binder.
The germ on the yolk is a small darker dot, which allows the egg to have a chick.
HEALTHY HEN = QUALITY EGG
Important information about an egg: the day of laying, its size, how the hens are raised (the more space and sunlight the better their health will be).
The hen, like all animals, has specific needs that must be taken into account.
The best laying hen is the "farm hen", the red hen. This excellent laying hen is not a breed as such, but a hybrid resulting from several crossings (Warren, Shaver, Isa Brown, Bovans, Hy-line, Lohman...) It is found all over the world. Notice that it was conceived by man for a fast and efficient egg-laying.
The quality of hens' eggs depends entirely on their feed.
Hens are omnivorous, their digestive system allows them to feed on both animal and vegetable food.
Thus, they spend a large part of the day in their pens looking for earthworms, snails, insects and all other sources of animal protein. This diet must be supplemented with seeds and grains that are given to them.
This balance between protein (30% of their feed) and cereals (70% of their feed) makes possible for them to get the correct feed, and to enable them to lay more eggs and stay healthy. In periods of moulting or excessive parasitism, or even after illness, it can be beneficial to supplement hens with vitamins and trace elements.
Water is also very important. When you know how difficult it is for the hen to withstand the heat, it is important to make sure that the hens do not lack water. A dehydrated hen can die within a few hours.
An ideal pen should be large enough to provide enough grassy space for the number of hens; space for the hens to dig holes for their earthen baths; and an area planted with a variety of shrubs and trees, with no grass, but with plenty of scraping areas with humus, leaves, pieces of wood, and other good places for insects and worms to live. Grass is essential because it provides them all the minerals and vitamins they need. And so it is for all these reasons that you must understand where your material comes from. A hen raised in a cage will not have the same egg quality as a hen raised outdoors.
EGG PRODUCTS
Today in baking, "egg products" are used more and more.
Egg products are eggs that have been removed from their shells. They are available in cans, powdered, pasteurized, frozen, concentrated, sold whole, or with separate whites and yolks. Disadvantages: it is necessary to respect the indications of use, either quickly after opening.
They are often used to have exact quantities, to facilitate bacteriological safety and for easy storage and conservation. They remain healthy because they retain most of all the qualities of the egg.
How to evaluate the quantities?
13g of egg powder + 40g of water = 1 fresh egg
5g egg white powder + 30g water = 1 fresh egg white
8g of egg yolk powder + 10g of water = 1 fresh egg yolk
1 litre of eggs = 20 eggs
1 litre of yolks = 50 yolks
1 litre of white = 32 whites
Liquid egg products must be at 4°C (refrigerator) and can be stored for 2 days or at 15°C at room temperature away from humidity and light. Powder should be kept at 20°C for 3 to 4 months.
ROLE AND USE
Generally speaking, the eggs will bind the dough, structure it and give it softness.
Whole eggs allow the binding, homogeneity, thickening of the dough. It brings colour and shine to the crust and has a particular flavour and odour.
The white brings lightness, allows to bind the flour, and thicks the structure of the dough during baking.
The yolk is usually whisk to make an emulsion (=mixture of water and fat). It brings taste and a bright yellow colour.
PERSONAL TIPS
Egg storage rules:
Beware of the smell of the egg
Discard any suspect eggs with odour, colour or foreign material.
Do not put the eggs next to strong smelling products (fish, cheese...)
Break the eggs 3 by 3 in a different bowl to avoid wasting an entire weight if only one egg is bad
Never corner an eggshell
Wash your hands after touching an egg
Avoid keeping gilding on your fridge (24h max)
Use the FIFO (first in, first out) method
Put the eggs on plastic cells (cardboard is a carrier of germs)
Do not wash the eggs, they are naturally protected (cuticle) by a natural barrier against bacteria.
Bonus tips :
You can test freshness in the following way: break the egg in a flat plate: if the white is firm and not very spread out, and the yolk is well rounded, it is fresh.
Cold makes the albumen more liquid and easier to handle.
Caution: The yolk coagulates and turns darken on contact with the sugar: this is the Maillard reaction. The sugar absorbs moisture from the yolk. The yolk then forms small grains. So avoid over-mixing the egg yolk when adding sugar.
Hope you enjoyed this article ! See you soon on The Paris-Best !
Lea from The Paris-Best
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