An Eggbeater Directions
Datetime:2013-04-19 Hits:
Breaking Up Albumen
The old-fashioned eggbeater can still be found in modern kitchens of today having stood the test of time and deemed useful. A hand crank on the side of the eggbeater is turned vigorously while the metal "dashers," or whippers, are stood in the bowl of eggs. The action of the metal dashers turning within each other add air and thus volume to the eggs, making the mixture light and frothy. Eggbeaters all work on basically the same principle; to break up the egg albumen (the egg white) and the yellow yolk with their dashers and incorporate the two elements of the egg to form a smooth frothy pale yellow liquid to utilize in recipes calling for beaten eggs. Eggbeaters are also used to whip egg whites into stiff peaks to bake on a low setting in the oven. These are called meringues and are crispy on the outside and sticky on the inside. Double cream is used to "sandwich" two meringues together to be eaten as a satisfying dessert.
Balloon Whisk Beater
The balloon whisk is a classic kitchen utensil equipped with multiple wire dashers to add volume to eggs quickly and effectively. Instead of a side hand crank, the balloon whisk needs wrist action in order to work. Holding the handle of the balloon whisk as you would a pencil, the wrist is turned in a circular motion dragging the dashers on the inside bottom of the bowl containing the eggs and allowing the dashers to come out of the egg mixture briefly and then plunging them back into the egg mixture repeatedly, adding air and volume to the eggs. Simple and quick, the balloon whisk is preferred by master chefs all over the world for its powers of incorporation.
Hand/Wand Blender
The electric hand or wand blender is an easy method of getting eggs whipped up in a snap. Hand blenders just need an up and down motion to incorporate eggs and add volume. Other light ingredients may be blended with this handy tool for recipes or cocktails, although these hand appliances aren't meant to be used like an electric mixer and tend to overheat easily with prolonged use.
