A couple of general baking questions

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JustJoel

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I suppose I could google these, but it’s so much more fun to interact with y’all!

1. Why do some recipes call for a whole egg for the eggwash, but others specify egg white?

2. Why do some recipes specifically instruct to add one egg at a time?

Hmm, both questions are about eggs. Maybe I should have posted this in the dairy forum?
 
I believe the answer to the second question is because eggs are slimy and more difficult than other liquids to incorporate into dry ingredients.

Try dumping all 6 eggs in at once when making choux dough and you'll get it :(
 
1. They produce different colors and textures.
Different Types of Egg Wash
Egg washes are typically whole egg, whole egg mixed with milk or water, egg yolk, egg yolk mixed with water, egg yolk mixed with milk or cream, egg white, egg white with water and egg white with milk. Each produces a different color as listed below:

Beaten Whole Egg: Shiny, dark color. Apply this one 15 minutes before the end of baking.
Beaten Whole Egg with Milk: Medium-shiny color.
Beaten Whole Egg with Water: Lighter shiny color.
Beaten Egg Yolk: Shiny, deep lemon-yellow color. Apply this one 15 minutes before the end of baking.
Beaten Egg Yolk with Water: Shiny, lighter lemon-yellow color.
Beaten Egg Yolk with Cream: Shiny-brown color.
Beaten Egg White: Crisp, transparent surface color.
Beaten Egg White with Water: Sticky transparent surface for adhering nuts and / or seeds.
Beaten Egg White with Milk: Transparent shiny surface.

Actually, your questions are about baking, not eggs. But FYI, eggs are not dairy. Dairy products come from the milk of mammals, not bird eggs.
 
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1. They produce different colors and textures.


Actually, your questions are about baking, not eggs. But FYI, eggs are not dairy. Dairy products come from the milk of mammals, not bird eggs.
I know they’re not dairy products per se, but “eggs” are included in the dairy forum on DC. And they may not be dairy, but isn’t their production and sale regulated by the USDA here in the States?

Thanks for that info! I’m copying it to my info folder. I’ll probably need to look at it every time I use an egg wash.
 
I know they’re not dairy products per se, but “eggs” are included in the dairy forum on DC. And they may not be dairy, but isn’t their production and sale regulated by the USDA here in the States?

Thanks for that info! I’m copying it to my info folder. I’ll probably need to look at it every time I use an egg wash.
The production and sale of all foods is regulated by the FDA and the USDA. FDA regulates egg processing plants, such as plants that wash, sort, and pack eggs. Egg products, such as dried, frozen, or liquid eggs, are under USDA jurisdiction. USDA regulates egg product processing plants, such as plants that break and pasteurize eggs.

I mentioned it because some people seem to think they're equivalent. I was talking to someone once who told me she had an allergy to dairy and was sad that she couldn't eat eggs. She was surprised when I told her eggs aren't dairy products.
 
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I often use an egg yolk wash, when I have some left over from using some egg whites, and visa versa, even if the recipe calls for the other. No sense wasting!
 
I used a whole egg beaten with milk to get this color.
 

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That's very interesting ...
Different Types of Egg Wash
Egg washes are typically whole egg, whole egg mixed with milk or water, egg yolk, egg yolk mixed with water, egg yolk mixed with milk or cream, egg white, egg white with water and egg white with milk. Each produces a different color as listed below:

Beaten Whole Egg: Shiny, dark color. Apply this one 15 minutes before the end of baking.
Beaten Whole Egg with Milk: Medium-shiny color.
Beaten Whole Egg with Water: Lighter shiny color.
Beaten Egg Yolk: Shiny, deep lemon-yellow color. Apply this one 15 minutes before the end of baking.
Beaten Egg Yolk with Water: Shiny, lighter lemon-yellow color.
Beaten Egg Yolk with Cream: Shiny-brown color.
Beaten Egg White: Crisp, transparent surface color.
Beaten Egg White with Water: Sticky transparent surface for adhering nuts and / or seeds.
Beaten Egg White with Milk: Transparent shiny surface


Gorgeous pie Andy!
 
I mentioned it because some people seem to think they're equivalent. I was talking to someone once who told me she had an allergy to dairy and was sad that she couldn't eat eggs. She was surprised when I told her eggs aren't dairy products.



How in the world do people think that eggs are dairy products? :wacko:
 
Another possibility is that some types of vegetarianism include dairy and eggs.
Still, if a vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy, they are separated in the term. Ovo-lacto, is right, right?

So, are eggs in their own category? Meat, fish, produce, dairy, eggs?
 
Still, if a vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy, they are separated in the term. Ovo-lacto, is right, right?

So, are eggs in their own category? Meat, fish, produce, dairy, eggs?
They are sometimes just lumped in with protein or animal protein.
 
Not an answer to the original question, but rather another opinion. I’ve been told to use only egg yolks for egg wash.
 
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