How To Temper Eggs
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Learn how to temper eggs in this easy step-by-step guide! Tempering eggs is a key baking technique to master making a silky custard, creamy puddings and the best cream pies!
In the realm of baking, eggs play a crucial role in providing structure, moisture, and richness to a wide array of recipes, from fluffy cakes to decadent custards. However, incorporating eggs into certain baked goods is another matter. Especially when dealing with hot liquids or mixtures! Because in baking, a smooth custard can go from perfect to scrambled just like that.
And as much as I love my scrambled eggs in the morning, not so much in my desserts. The two should always stay separate. How do we achieve such silky, smooth texture in our custards in baking?
That’s where the tempering process comes into play. This culinary skill is one I use in my creme brulee, my chocolate cream pie and lemon meringue pie recipes. And it’s the key to a smooth filling. And it’s one skill bakers of all skill levels need to master I think!
In this guide, we’ll explore what it means to temper eggs, why it’s important, and how to master this essential skill for successful baking. Scrambled eggs no more! You will become a tempering egg queen (or king!) in no time.
Want to learn how to test your eggs for freshness? Discover 3 easy methods to check your eggs for the best baking outcome in this helpful guide on testing eggs for freshness.
See Also:
- Shortening can be a tricky ingredient to measure! Learn how to measure shortening 4 easy ways in this post!
- Get room temperature eggs fast so you can start your baking recipe now and you don’t have to wait!
- If you need buttermilk but you’re fresh out, make homemade buttermilk easily with just a few simple ingredients.
What Is Tempering Eggs?
Tempering eggs is a culinary technique used to gradually raise the temperature of eggs without cooking them, particularly when adding them to hot liquids or mixtures. This process prevents the eggs from curdling or scrambling upon contact with heat, ensuring a smooth and homogeneous consistency in the final product.
It’s a technique used in many custard type recipes, like my homemade vanilla ice cream recipe or French pastry cream!
Tempering eggs is traditionally done on the stovetop by adding some of the hot liquid mixture into whisked eggs and then the eggs are added back to the rest of the hot liquid and cooked until a creamy custard is formed.
Sometimes a rapid tempering can be achieved by using a high-powered blender or immersion blender. With this method, some of the liquid is added to the blender and the eggs are added then cooked again on the stovetop. With an immersion blender, the eggs are added to the saucepan with the blender running.
Today I’ll be showing you the traditional method!
Why Temper Eggs?
Tempering eggs is essential in recipes that involve combining eggs with hot liquids, such as custards, sauces, and certain types of batters. Without tempering, the sudden introduction of hot liquid to cold eggs can result in the eggs cooking too quickly, leading to lumps or an undesirable texture in the final dish.
By tempering eggs, you can gradually acclimate them to the temperature of the hot liquid, allowing for a seamless integration and a velvety smooth texture. Whether you’re making a silky pastry cream or a luscious lemon curd, mastering the art of tempering eggs will elevate your baking game to new heights.
How to Temper Eggs:
Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of tempering eggs like a pro:
Prep Your Ingredients And Tools.
I like to measure out my ingredients and prep my tools. If you plan to strain your mixture after it’s been cooked I set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. If you need to cool down your mixture you can also have a second bowl filled with ice water (but this is optional -as you can simply refrigerate your custard if need be).
Heat the Liquid
Start by heating the liquid portion (usually a milk base) of your recipe over medium heat until it reaches the desired temperature specified in your recipe. This could be a simmer for custards or a gentle boil for sauces.
Whisk the Eggs
While the liquid is heating, crack the eggs into a separate bowl and whisk them gently until they are well combined. This ensures that the egg whites and yolks are evenly mixed, resulting in a consistent texture.
Sometimes the recipe also calls for whisking in additional ingredients, such as sugar (and/or cornstarch). Be sure to follow your recipe if so!
Sometimes you will only need to temper the egg yolks and need to separate your eggs first.
Temper the Eggs
Once the liquid has reached the appropriate temperature, it’s time to temper the bowl of egg yolks (or whole eggs depending). Begin by adding a small amount of the hot liquid to the beaten bowl of eggs, whisking constantly as you pour. This gradual addition of the hot milk raises the temperature of the eggs slowly, preventing them from cooking too quickly.
Incorporate the Eggs
After adding a small amount of hot mixture to the eggs, then pour the egg mixture back into the regular saucepan with the remaining hot liquid now that they are brought back up temperature. Be sure to whisk vigorously to prevent the eggs from curdling or scrambling.
Return to the Heat
Once the eggs have been tempered and combined with the hot liquid base, return the mixture to the heat source according to your recipe’s instructions. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens or reaches the desired consistency.
One way to test if the mixture is thick enough is to see if it coats the back of a wooden spoon like shown!
Strain and Chill
If desired, you can strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any potential bits of cooked egg or other impurities. This step is particularly common in custard-based recipes to ensure a silky smooth texture.
Once the mixture is cooked to perfection, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill. Chilling allows the flavors to develop and the mixture to set properly, resulting in a delicious final product.
If you need to chill faster place the bowl over a second bowl filled with ice water.
Baking Tips
- If separating eggs, seperate your eggs cold first. Eggs seperate more easily when cold than with room-temperature eggs. Then bring to room temperature.
- Use fresh eggs for the best results. Older eggs may not incorporate as smoothly.
- Whisk constantly while tempering the eggs to ensure even distribution of heat. I find it easier to add the egg mixture with my non-dominant hand while I whisk with my dominant hand (but experiment with what feels comfortable!)
- Strain the mixture. If you accidentally overheat the eggs and they begin to scramble, don’t panic! Simply strain the mixture to remove any lumps and continue with the recipe.
- Practice makes perfect! Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt at tempering eggs isn’t flawless. With time and experience, you’ll become more confident in this essential baking technique.
Recipes That Use Tempered Eggs
Now that you’re an “egg-spert” (sorry I had to!) on tempering eggs, here are a few recipes to flex those baking muscles out on.
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Pastry Cream
- German buttercream frosting
- Creme Brulee For Two
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Custard Sauce
My Top Recipes To Try
- Self Rising Flour Biscuits
- Lemon Cookies
- Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 20 Self Rising Flour Recipes
- Milk Bar Cake
French Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 4 large (56 grams) egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (28 grams) cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups (480 grams) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks until smooth in a large bowl.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. gradually add milk in a slow, steady stream, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour one third of the milk mixture into egg yolks (this step is called tempering, which keeps the yolks from curdling). Pour mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and butter.
- Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
Notes
- Storage: You can keep your vanilla pastry cream in the fridge up to 3 days. Just make sure it’s come to room temperature before you chill it. Then be sure it’s properly covered. I place plastic wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn’t form.
- Make diplomat cream: Add in 1/2 cup whipped cream to make a light whipped pastry cream.
- Flavor your pastry cream. Add 1-2 teaspoons of an extract such as almond or maybe some espresso powder (heat the powder with the milk step).
- Make an adult version. Add in a 1/2 tablespoon of a booze of your choice- try some Kahlua, Grand Marnier, Frangelico, etc!
- Make chocolate pastry cream – Add 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder with the sugar mixture. Off the heat, add 1 cup chopped chocolate with the vanilla and butter and stir in until smooth.
Such a great guide to one of the most important culinary skills! Thanks for all the detail, it will come in so handy.
Thanks, Sue!
Tempering eggs is such a good skill to know. This tutorial worked perfectly. Saving to remind myself how to do it next time I need to.
Great to hear, so glad it was helpful, thank you!
This is such useful info to have on hand – I’ll be referring back to this post many times I am sure. The recipes are great – thank you!
Thank you, Donalyn!
This is such a great post and I love how you’ve broken everything down into easy steps. Saving this to use next time I need to temper eggs.
Thank you, so glad that you found it helpful!