Many recipes, including those for pastry creams, soups and certain types of pasta, require you to "dilute an egg", which means gradually bringing it to a high temperature, without reducing it into many small pieces. A diluted egg looks like a raw egg but is perfectly cooked and can be used as a thickener or to mix other ingredients. You can learn some basic procedures and some specifics for particular recipes. For more information, go to step 1.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Learn the Basics
Step 1. Get the tools you need
Dissolving an egg is much easier than you think. If you are quick and manage to add very little hot liquid to the egg at a time, you will dissolve it in no time. To do things correctly, you will need:
- A heat resistant bowl. Beat the eggs in a pyrex or ceramic bowl is very important, as the eggs will not cook from the bottom. In fact, it must be the liquid you add to cook them, not the material of the bowl (it makes them coagulate).
- Whip. This technique requires you to beat the eggs vigorously and at the same time add some hot liquid. If you don't have a whisk, you can use a fork.
- Ladle. You will need a utensil to pour the liquid into the bowl, preferably a ladle with a spout to control the quantities.
Step 2. Start beating the eggs in the bowl
It depends on the recipe, you may have 1 or even 6 eggs to dilute, but the procedure remains the same. Break the eggs into the heat-resistant bowl and beat them until well combined.
- Continue beating the eggs until they are frothy. Beaten eggs, like scrambled ones, will coagulate as the consistency thickens. The consistency for this procedure is similar to that of an omelette. If you see foam forming on top of the eggs, you are heading in the right direction.
- Let the eggs rest until they reach room temperature. In the meantime, you can continue preparing the other ingredients for the recipe. Dissolving cold eggs is tricky, and we recommend doing it after they have reached room temperature.
Step 3. Beat the eggs vigorously and add some hot liquid
Whether you need them for a sweet or a savory dish, the procedure remains the same. It is essential that when you add the liquid you continue to beat the eggs. When you're sure they haven't clotted, add more liquid. Continue until the eggs are dissolved.
Start with a tablespoon or two and only add more when you're completely sure the eggs haven't clotted. Some recipes don't really tell you how to do it, and maybe they tell you to add a ladle of boiling milk to the eggs. It is actually much better to start gradually to slowly raise the temperature. Continue until the volume of the eggs grows at least halfway
Step 4. When ready, pour the dissolved egg into the hot liquid
You will understand this as you will see the steam in the mixture and feel the hot bowl. At this point, the egg has cooked. Stir the mixture and it is ready to be added to the rest of the ingredients; even if the egg coagulates, there is no problem.
This compound is mainly used to thicken and create rich sauces. When you combine the ingredients, you should notice that the broth and milk are thicker and have a yellowish color
Step 5. Drain the egg pieces that you created by mistake
If you add the liquid too quickly, it could happen. Don't worry, but don't add any more liquid and don't mix the eggs anymore. With a spoon, remove the pieces of the egg or drain the mixture through a colander. If all the mixture has clotted, you should start the procedure again.
Alternatively, if it doesn't bother you, some lumps can also leave. Keep mixing vigorously with the whisk and you won't even notice
Method 2 of 4: Blanching Eggs for Sweet Dishes
Step 1. Boil the milk on the stove
If you are making eggnog, cream, pudding, or ice cream, in most recipes you have the milk heated or boiled. Beat the eggs in a heat resistant bowl and heat the milk as directed in the recipe.
Step 2. Add the desired amount of sugar
For some recipes, you will need to mix the sugar with the eggs before dissolving them. In this case, perform the dosage and dilute the eggs. Beat the mixture vigorously with the whisk and at the same time heat the milk.
Step 3. Start with a few tablespoons of milk
Remove the milk from the stove and add a small amount to the heat-resistant bowl with the eggs and sugar inside. With the ladle, put in one tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat vigorously. Before adding more, make sure the eggs have not coagulated.
If it helps and you don't want to rush it, count to ten before adding more liquid. This will prevent the egg from clotting
Step 4. Continue to slowly add the milk into the bowl with the eggs until you finish it
Depending on the recipe, add dry ingredients to the mixture or let it cool to make ice cream. In any case, you have diluted the eggs and you are ready to continue with the preparation of the recipe.
Method 3 of 4: Blanching Eggs for Soups
Step 1. Do not season the eggs
If you add salt to the eggs before whisking them, the consistency will not be smooth enough to dissolve them. Season the broth only after the eggs have been diluted and added to the soup and not before.
Step 2. Start with a small amount of broth
Using a ladle, slowly add it to the bowl with the eggs in it. Beat the eggs vigorously and at the same time add the liquid. Before adding another tablespoon, count to ten and slowly you will notice that the temperature will gradually rise.
Try using only the broth. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but a few pieces of meat or broth end up in the mixture. If that happens, that's fine - you'll still need to combine all the ingredients in the end. However, you will be able to beat the eggs more easily with just the broth and they will dissolve faster
Step 3. Continue adding the broth slowly until you see steam
Put your hands in the bowl to check the temperature. When perfectly dissolved, the eggs should be completely liquid but hot enough to give off steam.
Step 4. When the bowl has the same amount of steam as the stock pot, add the dissolved eggs directly into the soup
Stir the eggs to enrich the broth which will thicken slightly. The color will be slightly yellow or milky.
Method 4 of 4: Dilute the Eggs for the Pasta
Step 1. Melt the eggs for pasta dishes
A common method used in Italian cooking is to add raw egg directly to hot pasta to create a thick sauce. This technique is used for the well-known spaghetti alla carbonara, which include spaghetti, eggs, bacon and lots of black pepper.
Carbonara is usually made with spaghetti, but if you want you can also use other types of long pasta. As for the technique, sometimes it is easier to dissolve the eggs in a pan with long pasta, mixing and making sure that the eggs do not go to the bottom creating lumps
Step 2. Add finely grated cheese to the egg mixture
When the pasta is cooking, beat two eggs in a bowl with lots of grated Parmesan cheese (about half a cup). You can use other types of cheese if you wish, but Parmesan blends better with eggs and melts more easily than other types of cheese.
In the carbonara, add a lot of black pepper to the eggs before putting them in the pasta. The name of the carbonara recipe comes from the fact that the peppercorns look like pieces of "coal"
Step 3. Heat the pasta in the pan
For most recipes, you'll need to fry onions, meat, garlic, and spices first and then remove the pan from the stove. Cook the pasta separately, and when it is al dente add it to the other ingredients. Keep the heat on the stove low, gently stirring the pasta into the meat and vegetables.
Basically the egg must heat up on the pasta before going to the bottom of the pan, where lumps will probably form. For best results, mix thoroughly and always check the temperature
Step 4. When adding the egg, mix the pasta vigorously
Pour the egg over the pasta in a pan over low heat and mix it with a wooden spoon. Continue mixing by moving the dough in a circle. It should be ready in seconds. As soon as you see steam, remove the pan from the stove and transfer the pasta to a bowl.
Eggs cook much faster than you might imagine, so it is very important to maintain an adequate temperature to ensure that the diluted eggs coat the pasta with a rich cheese sauce. Add some parsley leaves and serve immediately
Advice
- The eggs will dissolve faster if you use a hot bowl.
- Keeping the eggs at room temperature will reduce the chances of any lumps forming.
