If the bowl is inverted, the egg w^hite does not flow but remains in
the bowl and the end of peaks stand up straight. If the egg is left to stand,
the watery fluid collects at the bottom of the bowl more slowly. With
longer beating the egg white appears dry, loses its shiny appearance, and
small white patches that look like small curds may appear. This is the
stage called dry in cook books. At this point the w^hite is very rigid and
rather brittle so that with a whisk beater it is easily thrown out of the
bowl in w^hich it is whipped.
Methods of testing stiffness. There are several ways in which the stiff-
ness may be tested. For household use the tests are ( 1 ) appearance, (2) the
height of peaks and the extent to which the point bends over when the egg
beater or some utensil is lifted out of the beaten white, and (3) the rate
of flow when the bowl or plate in which the white is beaten is partially
inverted. A skillful operator working constantly with egg w^hite soon
learns to judge the degree of stiffness by these common household methods,
and the degree of proficiency that can be attained is surprising. But for
SALT AND WHIPPING OF EGG WHITES 347
experimental purposes the same degree of stiffness probably could not be
duplicated in another laboratory from the description. In the home the
height of the peaks, and particularly the extent the point falls over, is the
best criterion for judging stiffness. The rate of flow is not quite so good
unless the same quantity of egg white is always used, for a large quantity
must be beaten stiffer to flow at the same rate as a smaller quantity.
For laboratory purposes, (1) specific gravity, (2) foaming power, and
(3) the amount of drainage during a definite time are used to test the
stiffness and stability of the foam. Specific gravity is determined by divid-
ing the weight of a given volume of egg white by the weight of the same
volume of water at the same temperature. Barmore reports that foams with
specific gravity of 0.15 to 0.16 yield good angel cakes. Bailey calculated
foaming power by means of the formula :
{^m)-
100
where F = foaming power of egg white, F = volume of dish in cubic
centimeters, and IV = weight of foam in grams. The specific gravity of
the original egg white was taken as 1.04.
The stability of a foam may be tested by putting a given weight of foam
in a funnel of known capacity and bore. The funnel is covered to prevent
evaporation. If the funnel is placed in a graduated cylinder, the drainage
may be read in cubic centimeters or the weight taken at the end of a
definite time, usually 30, 40, or 60 minutes. When the egg white is not
beaten sufficiently both the unbeaten egg white and the foam drain from
the funnel. After a certain stage of beating is reached little drainage
occurs. With still longer beating Barmore states the drainage increases.
Work of students in the author's laboratory, Keltner, Hoskey, and Loaft,
though not extensive enough to be conclusive, indicates that better angel
cakes are obtained if a certain percentage of drainage occurs, the exact
amount varying with different types of egg beaters.
Page 284
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If the bowl is inverted, the egg w^hite does not flow but remains in
the bowl and the end of peaks stand up straight. If the egg is left to stand,
the watery fluid collects at the bottom of the bowl more slowly. With
longer beating the egg white appears dry, loses its shiny appearance, and
small white patches that look like small curds may appear. This is the
stage called dry in cook books. At this point the w^hite is very rigid and
rather brittle so that with a whisk beater it is easily thrown out of the
bowl in w^hich it is whipped.
Methods of testing stiffness. There are several ways in which the stiff-
ness may be tested. For household use the tests are ( 1 ) appearance, (2) the
height of peaks and the extent to which the point bends over when the egg
beater or some utensil is lifted out of the beaten white, and (3) the rate
of flow when the bowl or plate in which the white is beaten is partially
inverted. A skillful operator working constantly with egg w^hite soon
learns to judge the degree of stiffness by these common household methods,
and the degree of proficiency that can be attained is surprising. But for
SALT AND WHIPPING OF EGG WHITES 347
experimental purposes the same degree of stiffness probably could not be
duplicated in another laboratory from the description. In the home the
height of the peaks, and particularly the extent the point falls over, is the
best criterion for judging stiffness. The rate of flow is not quite so good
unless the same quantity of egg white is always used, for a large quantity
must be beaten stiffer to flow at the same rate as a smaller quantity.
For laboratory purposes, (1) specific gravity, (2) foaming power, and
(3) the amount of drainage during a definite time are used to test the
stiffness and stability of the foam. Specific gravity is determined by divid-
ing the weight of a given volume of egg white by the weight of the same
volume of water at the same temperature. Barmore reports that foams with
specific gravity of 0.15 to 0.16 yield good angel cakes. Bailey calculated
foaming power by means of the formula :
{^m)-
100
where F = foaming power of egg white, F = volume of dish in cubic
centimeters, and IV = weight of foam in grams. The specific gravity of
the original egg white was taken as 1.04.
The stability of a foam may be tested by putting a given weight of foam
in a funnel of known capacity and bore. The funnel is covered to prevent
evaporation. If the funnel is placed in a graduated cylinder, the drainage
may be read in cubic centimeters or the weight taken at the end of a
definite time, usually 30, 40, or 60 minutes. When the egg white is not
beaten sufficiently both the unbeaten egg white and the foam drain from
the funnel. After a certain stage of beating is reached little drainage
occurs. With still longer beating Barmore states the drainage increases.
Work of students in the author's laboratory, Keltner, Hoskey, and Loaft,
though not extensive enough to be conclusive, indicates that better angel
cakes are obtained if a certain percentage of drainage occurs, the exact
amount varying with different types of egg beaters.