Separating eggs
Beginner Eggs and butter
Separating eggs is splitting each egg's white from its yolk so a recipe can use them differently.
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How do you do it?
- Use cold eggs straight from the fridge; the yolk is firmer and less likely to break.
- Crack on a flat surface, then pass the yolk between the shell halves or your clean fingers, letting the white fall into a bowl.
- Separate each egg over a small cup first, then add the white to the main bowl.
Why does it work?
Whites whip up only if they're free of fat, and even a speck of yolk can keep them from foaming. Cracking each egg over its own cup means one broken yolk doesn't ruin the whole batch.
What are the common mistakes?
- Cracking on a bowl edge — shell bits and a broken yolk.
- Yolk in the whites — they won't whip to stiff peaks.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
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