There's no way around it; if you want to make some of the world's most refined desserts, you'll have to learn the best method and how long to beat egg whites to make stiff peaks. Fortunately, it can be done in just a few simple steps.
Some of the most delicate and delicious desserts are made with stiff peak egg whites, including Angel Food, Chiffon, and Sponge Cakes. Other treats that seem lighter than air include meringue-topped pies and soufflés.
Everything You Need to Know About Eggs: Yolks, Whites, and More
How to Beat Egg Whites to Stiff Peaks Step-by-Step
Before we can get to the actual beating, we need to get our eggs ready.
1. Separate the Eggs
Fun fact about eggs: They separate more easily when they're cold, but you'll achieve stiff egg whites more easily if you let them warm up a bit before beating. Use an egg separator ($8, Bed Bath & Beyond) to separate the eggs straight from the fridge. After separating, let the whites stand 30 minutes; they'll beat to stiff peaks higher and faster than cold egg whites.
Egg whites should be free of any yolk to achieve stiff peaks. Each time you separate the egg, let the white drain into a small bowl such as a custard cup ($10, Bed Bath & Beyond). Then transfer each white to the mixing bowl you'll use to beat the whites. Repeat, allowing each white to drain separately into the small bowl before adding it to the large mixing bowl. This keeps the whites in the mixing bowl uncontaminated if a yolk breaks while you're separating an egg.
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2. Get Your Equipment Ready
While waiting for those whites to warm up, make sure your bowl, beaters, and spatula are all clean and dry. Any grease or egg yolk will keep your whites from beating to stiff peaks properly. So, before you begin, wash all your equipment with hot, soapy water. Use a glass or stainless-steel bowl; avoid plastic bowls, as they can retain a greasy residue from previous uses.
Test Kitchen Tip: Should you use a hand mixer ($23, Target) or a stand mixer ($450, Williams Sonoma)? Both work, but you'll need to consider the bowl size: According to The American Egg Board, a small mixing bowl is best for up to three egg whites. Use a large mixing bowl for four or more whites.
3. Beat Egg Whites Until Stiff
Turn on the mixer to medium speed and beat until soft peaks form, then beat on high until stiff peaks form. You've hit stiff peak egg white stage when you have glossy peaks that stand straight. Here are a few pointers for achieving stiff peak egg whites.
Recipes often call for adding cream of tartar before beating whites to stiff peaks. This acidic ingredient helps stabilize the whites. Use as directed.
When making meringue and other desserts that call for adding sugar to the whites, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form (tips curl). Then start adding the sugar as directed in the recipe (usually a tablespoon at a time) and continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. You'll know this has happened when the tips stand straight up when you lift the beaters from the egg whites.
Test Kitchen Tip: How long to beat egg whites to a still peak? Once you add the sugar, it will take about 4 minutes on high speed.
Savory dishes (such as soufflés) require no sugar. Simply beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). This will take 4 to 5 minutes total.
Ta-da! You've done it! Now you can make a Lemon Meringue Pie or Mint Meringue Cookies. You can also swirl stiff peak egg whites into a Pavlova, add them to a cheese sauce for a luscious main-dish soufflé—and so much more.
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Turn off the mixer and check the stiffness of the peaks. In total, this should take about 4 to 5 minutes. For soft peaks, the beaten egg whites should have some body but not hold their shape.
New, room temperature egg whites will whip up faster than old, cold eggs. Make sure the bowl you whip the egg whites in is free from any greasy residue. Make sure that no egg yolk is in with the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whipping process.
I start on speed 2 of the KitchenAid (low speed) for about 30 seconds, then I increase to speed 4 (medium-low) and whip for another 2 minutes or so, and I finish whipping the meringue on speed 6 (medium) until done, which can take another 10 minutes or so.
For egg white peaks that refuse to stiffen, check that no yolk has slipped into the mixture. Clean the mixing bowl and beaters thoroughly, leaving no trace of residual grease, like butter or oil. Do not use a plastic mixing bowl. A pinch of salt or cream of tartar will accelerate the stiffening.
So, the longer the better? Well, not quite. There is such a thing as too strong. If your whipped egg whites become curdled and dry, they have gone too far.
The albumin, or protein structure inside an egg, reacts with acid from the lemon juice to create a sturdier inner structure that holds air bubbles. As the eggs cook, the air bubbles cause them to become lighter and fluffier.
Egg temperature: It's easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator-cold. However egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they've had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes. Before beating egg whites, always begin by separating the eggs.
Start whisking at a low speed, gradually speeding up
A pinch of salt at the beginning will help break up the eggs and make beating them easier. Don't go higher than medium-high on a stand mixer—you'll get smaller and more stable bubbles in the foam if you don't go full throttle.
Begin whipping your egg whites on low speed until they become foamy and frothy. Once the egg whites are foamy, increase the speed to high until they become whipped to the desired stage. Though whipping with an electric mixer is preferred by many cooks, you can also use a large balloon whisk.
Can overbeaten egg whites be salvaged? “All is not lost. As long as you haven't added any other ingredients, you can usually resurrect a foam by adding an extra egg white and beating just until the mixture looks glossy and forms peaks again.”
Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.
Don't overbeat egg whites. (Overbeaten egg whites will look hard, lumpy or dry). When whipping egg whites, always start your mixer on low medium-low to medium speed. Beat them until foamy and increase the speed to medium-high and then to high.
This little ingredient is so important, it deserves its own section here. Cream of tartar is an acid that stabilizes the egg whites and is what gives you those big, beautiful, billowy pillows of fluffy white meringue.
New, room temperature egg whites will whisk up faster than old, cold eggs. Make sure the bowl you whisk the egg whites in is free from any greasy residue. Make sure that no egg yolk is in with the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whisking process.
Don't be tempted to continue: Go too far and the meringue will start to weep (i.e., release water) and form clumps that can't be easily incorporated into a batter. To fix broken, overbeaten egg whites, you can add an additional white and whisk briefly, just to incorporate its moisture into the original group.
Egg temperature: It's easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator-cold. However egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they've had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes.
How long does it take to whip packaged egg whites to stiff peaks? The time it takes to whip packaged egg whites to stiff peaks can vary depending on the speed of your mixer and the temperature of the egg whites. On average, it can take anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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