Brushing baked goods with egg is a simple and effective way to make them shiny and golden. Preparing the egg is very easy, just beat it with a spoonful of water, milk or cream. Once ready, you can brush it on your sweet and savory baked goods before baking or use it to seal the edges of the dough. If you prefer to use an egg substitute, you can use extra virgin olive oil, milk, cream or one of the substitutes on the market. Whatever your choice, you can easily adapt it to your preparations to achieve excellent results.
Ingrediants
- 1 whole egg
- 1 to 3 teaspoons of water, milk or cream
These doses are enough to brown a loaf or a quiche
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Beat the Egg
Step 1. Break the egg shell and drop the egg white and yolk into a small bowl
You can use any variety of egg and any size. Obviously keep in mind that using a large chicken egg will give you a larger dose than you can get with a small or quail egg.
If you want to achieve an even more intense browning, you can use only the egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Salt serves to make the yolk more liquid and therefore easier to spread
Step 2. Add a teaspoon of a liquid ingredient
You can use plain water or milk or cream. Milk can also be soy, depending on your preferences. The liquid ingredient is used to dilute the egg so that it does not dry out the pasta which otherwise could crack during cooking in the oven. If the mixture still feels too thick, you can dilute it further by adding 1-2 teaspoons of additional liquid.
Keep in mind that each liquid ingredient will give your baked goods a slightly different look. For example, water will make surfaces dull, while milk and the pen will make them shiny and shiny
Step 3. Beat the egg until the mixture is smooth
Grab a whisk or fork and move your wrist to beat the egg and liquid ingredient in a circular motion. Beat them for about ten seconds so that the yolk mixes well with the egg white.
Don't beat the egg so long that it froths
Step 4. Incorporate additional ingredients according to the recipe
For example, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, to give a spicy note to the surface of your baked product and at the same time obtain an even more intense browning. Also add a little salt if you want to make it shiny or if you intend to use the egg to seal the filling inside the pasta.
Step 5. Dilute the egg further by adding more liquid if needed
If you are browning a baked item that will expand greatly during cooking, such as a loaf or a puff pastry cookie, add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid to prevent the dough from breaking as it increases in volume.
Method 2 of 3: Choose an Egg Alternative Ingredient
Step 1. Use a mixture of milk and cream or just cream
If you prefer not to use the egg, for example due to a food intolerance or other health reasons, you can still be able to give a nice golden color to your baked goods. Keep in mind, however, that brushing them with a mixture of milk and cream or just with cream will make them opaque.
Keep in mind that the cream patina may crack as the dough expands
Step 2. Use extra virgin olive oil instead of egg
It is a great alternative for those on a vegan diet. All you have to do is brush it directly on the bread and other baked goods. Keep in mind, however, that as well as making the surface shiny, it will also infuse some of its flavor into the food, so it's best to avoid using it to brown desserts.
Another vegan option is to dissolve powdered soy in a few tablespoons of water
Step 3. Buy an egg substitute at the supermarket
You can buy a vegan-friendly plant substitute or a substitute made from egg whites and thickeners. If you intend to use a liquid substitute, brush it directly on your baked goods. If, on the other hand, you have purchased a powder product, you must first mix it with a little water to make it spreadable.
Method 3 of 3: Using Egg to Brown Baked Goods
Step 1. Brush the egg mixture on the bread
Dip the bristles of the kitchen brush in the egg or in the substitute you have selected, then distribute it on the surface of the bread, in small quantities to prevent it from dripping sideways; otherwise the bread could stick to the pan. After brushing it with egg, put it in the oven and cook it following the directions in the recipe.
If the egg drips onto the bottom of the pan in large quantities, at the end of cooking you will find yourself with pieces of omelette stuck to the bread
Step 2. Brush the egg mixture on the bottom layer of your quiches before stuffing them
To prevent it from getting soggy underneath, you can spread the egg over the raw pastry before adding the filling. During cooking in the oven, the egg mixture will harden and act as a barrier preventing the liquids from the filling from soaking the puff pastry underneath.
Step 3. Seal the edges of the dough with the egg mixture
For example, if you are preparing a savory pie, dumplings, calzones or stuffed biscuits, brush the egg along the edge of the dough, then overlap it or bring it closer to the other edge and press them lightly with your fingers. In this case the egg will act as a glue, sealing the filling inside your baked goods.
If you want your puff pastry to be light and crunchy, consider using only egg white mixed with water
Step 4. Brush the surface of your stuffed creations before putting them in the oven
After stuffing them, rolling them or giving shape to the brioches, brush them on the surface with the egg mixture, then immediately put them to bake in the oven to achieve the best possible result. Try sprinkling the surface of the egg mixture with:
- Loaves and sandwiches.
- Pastries and brioches.
- Savory pies.
- Different preparations than usual, such as meat pie, empanadas and shepherd's pie.
- Voulevant.
- Cookies.
Step 5. Use the egg mixture to adhere some seeds, sugar or scraps of puff pastry to the surface of your baked goods
If you intend to embellish your preparations, brush them with egg and then decorate them with decorative ingredients. Also in this case the mixture will prove to be an effective glue.
- For example, if you've made a cake or donut, you can brush it with egg and sprinkle it with brown sugar. If you made your own bread, lightly brush it with egg and then decorate it with sesame or poppy seeds.
- If you want to embellish your preparation with scraps of puff pastry, brush the bottom of the decorations with the egg mixture before placing them wherever you like.
