Q-My family is watching the amount of cholesterol in our diets. To this end, we have switched from real eggs to liquid egg substitutes whenever possible. In what types of baked goods are they an acceptable substitute for real eggs?
G. Hauser, Waukegan
A-Liquid egg substitutes are made primarily from egg whites, which are cholesterol-free and low in calories. The whites are mixed with vitamins, minerals, flavoring agents, sodium, coloring and emulsifiers. They`re hom*ogenized and pasteurized, resulting in a product that looks like beaten, whole eggs and in many cases acts like them.
Nabisco Brands, makers of Egg Beaters, has shared some recommendations for using their egg substitute in baked goods that may help you evaluate which of your own baking recipes can be made with cholesterol-free egg substitutes. – One quarter cup of liquid egg substitute is the equivalent of one whole egg. However, Nabisco suggests you use 1/3 cup for each whole egg in cake recipes that call for one or two whole eggs. In cakes with three to four whole eggs, use 1/4 cup of egg substitute for each egg and reduce the amount of liquid called for in the cake by 2 tablespoons to compensate for the increased liquid from the egg substitute.
– If a recipe for baked goods calls for four or more whole eggs, liquid egg substitutes will not produce a satisfactory product.
– In recipes calling for egg yolks only, use 1/4 cup egg substitute for each egg yolk for up to two yolks. Those recipes calling for three or more egg yolks are not satisfactory when made with substitutes.
– Recipes that call for any number of separately beaten egg whites are not good candidates for liquid egg substitutes. However, in some cases, usually when there are no more than two separately beaten eggs, you can use the equivalent amount of egg substitute for the egg yolks. Fresh egg whites then can be beaten and folded into the batter. Such a procedure might allow you to preserve some favorite recipes and still reduce the amount of cholesterol.
It also is worth pointing out that most baked goods calling for one or two whole eggs can be made with just the egg whites of fresh eggs, thereby eliminating the cholesterol. Use two egg whites for each whole egg called for. Cookies, brownies and some quick breads are the most successful candidates for this switch, though cakes can be made this way as well.
To further reduce the amount of cholesterol in baked goods, use margarine in place of butter, vegetable shortening for lard, skim milk in place of whole milk and yogurt in place of sour cream. However, it should be remembered that with these adaptations, the reduced cholesterol product will not have the same taste or texture as the original recipe.
Q-When I make meringue toppings for pies, the egg whites start to give off a clear liquid, usually within a day. What is this and why does it happen? Can I do anything to prevent it?
A. Loring, Chicago
A-A brief chemistry lesson will help you understand why beaten egg whites will break down or ”weep” over time. Just like soap suds, beaten egg whites are a dispersion of gas into a liquid. The clear, fluid egg white gradually takes on air as it is beaten. The air is held in little bubble pockets of the liquid egg white (the liquid is mostly water with small amounts of protein)
that are strengthened as the white is agitated, or beaten.
When the beaten egg whites are baked, as in a chiffon or angel cake, some of the protein that forms the pockets coagulates so the air inside them remains forever trapped. Soft meringues, which are a mixture of egg whites, sugar or sugar syrup and perhaps a small amount of acid, are only partly cooked, so the protein does not set completely. Over time, the little pockets will begin to break down and the water from the egg white will begin to weep out of the structure.
In ”On Food and Cooking,” Harold McGee says that undercooking the meringue will result in seepage or beading. Too high an oven temperature will coagulate the proteins too quickly, also causing weeping. He recommends 350 degrees for baking soft meringue toppings. Humid weather also causes meringues to weep.
