Like flour, butter and sugar, eggs also have a crucial role to play in baking. Eggs not only act as a binder in baking, helping to hold the ingredients together but also, the proteins in eggs coagulate when exposed to heat, forming a solid network that provides structure to baked goods. This is especially important in recipes like cakes, cookies, and brownies, also contributing to the leavening of baked goods. When eggs are beaten, they incorporate air, which helps create a lighter and fluffier texture in cakes, muffins, and other baked items.
Eggs are a source of moisture in baking, helping to keep baked goods moist and preventing them from becoming dry or crumbly, since the water content in eggs contributes to the overall hydration of the dough or batter. It contains both water and fat – their yolks are rich in fat-soluble compounds, making eggs excellent emulsifiers, helping to blend and stabilize ingredients that would otherwise separate, such as fats and liquids. Eggs enhance the flavour and colour of baked goods, as the yolks add richness and a slightly savoury note to recipes, while the proteins can contribute to browning when exposed to heat.
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The temperature of eggs can have a significant impact on the outcome of baked products since baking recipes often specify whether to use eggs at room temperature, cold from the refrigerator, or even warmed in some cases. Eggs at room temperature blend more easily with other ingredients, such as fats and sugars, resulting in a smoother batter or dough and better incorporation of ingredients, leading to a more uniform texture in the finished product. When eggs are at room temperature, they can trap more air when beaten, leading this increased air incorporation to better leavening and a lighter texture in items like cakes and muffins.
Room temperature eggs also mix more quickly with other ingredients, reducing the overall mixing time, which can be important in recipes where overmixing is a concern. In the case of cold eggs that can slow down the mixing process, it is especially helpful in recipes where overmixing is a concern, such as in flaky pie crusts or biscuits. Slower mixing helps prevent overdevelopment of gluten, resulting in a more tender and flakier texture. Cold eggs may not emulsify as effectively as room temperature eggs, which can be a concern in recipes where proper emulsification is critical, such as making mayonnaise or certain salad dressings.
However, in some recipes, especially for delicate custards and sauces, eggs are warmed in a bain-marie or double boiler, to a specific temperature range, typically to pasteurize them and to ensure they blend smoothly without curdling or coagulating too quickly. This also allows the eggs to cook partially or completely, allowing for the final baked dish to have a tender texture without becoming too rubbery to eat.