It's not just egg whites though-cream of tartar also stabilizes other key baking ingredients, like sugar! Adding it to cake or cookie batters prevents sugar from banding together and crystallizing, meaning that it results in more of a tender chew- snickerdoodles and sugar cookies wouldn't be the same without cream of tartar. For example, once stiff egg whites are folded into a batter, the cream of tartar slows the air bubbles captured in egg whites from naturally deflating, resulting in light and fluffy cakes and pancakes, among other baked goods. In fact, combine the two ingredients and you essentially have baking powder, which is comprised of 2 parts cream of tartar and 1 part baking soda.Īs a structural aid, cream of tartar is often used in conjunction with egg whites, where it helps to stabilize the air bubbles that allow egg whites to thicken into stiff peaks. In order for baking soda to kick into high gear, it needs that acid. Its acidic properties are why it's often used in baked goods. If you happen to be out of cream of tartar, don’t worrry! There are still plenty of meringues, cookies, and pancakes in your future, thanks to these easy cream of tartar substitutes.īut first, what is cream of tartar? Scientifically, it goes by potassium bitartrate-feel free to forget that now-and it's an acid derivative of the winemaking process. As magical as cream of tartar sounds, it’s not used in all baked goods, so you may find yourself forgetting to stock up on the pantry item. Not to mention, it acts as a leavening agent in cookies and pancakes, and it prevents sugars from crystalizing in frostings and syrups. You have cream of tartar to thank for the magic that is meringue and angel food cake. It's actually just a mysteriously named fine white powder that's beloved by bakers for its stabilizing properties. Another rinse with water, a thorough drying and a light application with oil will protect the files from further rusting.Talk about misnomer: Cream of tartar is neither creamy nor related to a certain fish stick dipping sauce. Then it is washed off with a baking soda/water solution. The paste is applied and allowed to set for a few hours. ![]() And when added to simple syrup, it prevents the sugar’s natural tendency to form crystals.Ĭream of tartar can also be mixed with an acidic liquid, such as lemon juice or white vinegar to make a paste (like toothpaste in texture) which is used as a cleaning agent for metals such as brass, aluminum or copper, or with water for other cleaning applications like the removal of light stains from porcelain.Ĭream of tartar, when mixed into a paste with hydrogen peroxide, can be used to clean rust from some hand tools, especially hand files. When added to egg whites, it enhances the strength of the air bubbles and slows down their natural tendency to deflate. This is the same gas produced by yeast in bread baking. Most commonly, cream of tartar is used as a leavener, because when combined with baking soda, they produce carbon dioxide gas. It is a byproduct of winemaking, the residue left on the barrels actually. ![]() ![]() Technically, it is an acid, and more specifically, a tartaric acid. In cooking, cream of tartar is used as stabilizer, or in order to prevent syrups from crystallizing, while it also reduces discoloration of boiled vegetables. What is it exactly that makes cream of tartar so special? Cream of Tartar is an amazing natural preservative, while it is also used as acidity regulator and flavoring ingredient. Cream of Tartar, which can be used in cinnamon cookies making them softer, in whipped egg whites stabilizing them, or in a simple syrup preventing it from crystallizing, is the perfect ingredient that we must keep in our cupboard.
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