A
patron came across a frosting recipe calling for cream of tartar and they were
wondering what exact purpose it served. One of our librarians recalled using it
in sugar cookies and one remembered using it in meringues, but neither knew
exactly what it did in the recipe or if there were substitutes. We looked in
Baking Illustrated, Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Baking Bible and on Slate.com for more information.
Cream
of tartar, also called potassium bitartrate, is an acid by-product of making
wine or grape juice. It will last indefinitely as long as it’s kept away from
moisture.
In the kitchen, it can be used to stabilize egg whites (as in the meringues) so they can be whipped more without collapsing. It will also prevent caramels and sugar syrups from crystallizing, making them creamier. (This may have been its purpose in the frosting recipe.) When mixed with baking soda and a liquid, it acts as a leavening agent. Its acidic properties can also help certain foods, like red cabbage, potatoes, and cauliflower, keep their color when boiled. As to substitutions, a bit of lemon juice serves a similar purpose in stabilizing egg whites, though, being liquid and less acidic, it doesn’t do the job as well.
In the kitchen, it can be used to stabilize egg whites (as in the meringues) so they can be whipped more without collapsing. It will also prevent caramels and sugar syrups from crystallizing, making them creamier. (This may have been its purpose in the frosting recipe.) When mixed with baking soda and a liquid, it acts as a leavening agent. Its acidic properties can also help certain foods, like red cabbage, potatoes, and cauliflower, keep their color when boiled. As to substitutions, a bit of lemon juice serves a similar purpose in stabilizing egg whites, though, being liquid and less acidic, it doesn’t do the job as well.
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