Why might we put eggs in bread dough to bake bread? Why would a baker leave eggs out? What’s the difference between egg whites and egg yolks when baking?
The ChainBaker YouTube channel shares this methodical comparison video with four types of dough: No egg, whole egg, egg white only, and egg yolk only. All other ingredients—flour, water, yeast, and salt—are identical.
The step-by-step video explains and demonstrates clearly for beginners and may also be pretty interesting for experienced bakers. The man behind ChainBaker, known online as Charlie the YouTube baker, explains:
“…besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.
“The egg white on the other hand acts as a coagulant and sets the crumb making it bouncier and chewier in a good way.
“Crust is another part of the bread that is greatly affected by egg. It caramelises more and becomes crispier. Breads that contain egg should not be baked at very high temperatures as the crust may go too dark too soon.”
“Eggs also add flavour which works well in enriched dough. The yolk is the part that contributes to the flavour mostly as the white is quite bland by itself.
“But not everyone can or will eat egg. What alternatives are there? You can make bread dough light and fluffy simply by using any other fat rather than egg yolks. Sugar and milk will also act in a similar way. A roux like tangzhong makes bread super light and fluffy too. To achieve a bouncy crumb that an egg white would provide you could use some potato starch or cornflour in your flour mix.”
For sweet recipes, you can also replace one egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce, or a smashed banana in cakes and pancakes. Aquafaba, whipped chickpea liquid, is also a good substitute. From The Kitchn:
“Three tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to about one whole egg, while two tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to about one egg white. Keep in mind that a can of chickpeas yields about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of this liquid, so about eight to 12 tablespoons.”
Explore more about what happens if we leave an ingredient out if a recipe:Microwave cupcakes in a mug, an easy chemistry experiment.
Also, these 4 Levels food science videos and more eggs:
• How to make kawaii egg animals
•How to make ‘cloud eggs’
• Why do supermarket eggs look perfect?
FAQs
besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.
What happens if you add extra egg to dough? ›
Adding eggs to a dough makes it softer and richer,more like challah or sandwich bread. There's nothing wrong with that, and you can certainly roll it out and make a flatbread with it, but it won't have the chew of a good pizza dough, and the bottom won't get as crisp.
What does adding an egg do to sourdough bread? ›
I've since done a number of tests myself and adding a whole egg to a super strong dough with a little oil and honey has become my favourite! A pillowy soft loaf the will blow your mind and oven! Eggs in dough usually produces an extra open and delicate crumb and the bread comes with an extra rise.
How do eggs affect baking? ›
In baking a cake, eggs are primarily used for two purposes—emulsification and structure. Egg yolks contain proteins called emulsifiers that mix with both fats and liquids, so egg yolks play an important role in ensuring your batter is smooth and well-mixed.
How do you make bread more airy? ›
Add Sugar
Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.
What does adding butter to bread dough do? ›
Butter (or another fat) can also be added to a bread dough in smaller quantities to aid in extensibility, yielding a larger volume, not to mention more richness, than a lean dough. As fat inhibits starch recrystallization, bread that includes butter will stay soft longer, increasing the loaf's shelf life.
Why put milk in bread dough? ›
The fat and lactose in milk help with tenderizing the crumb of the bread making it softer and sweeter. The crust of the bread also gets more caramelization. Be aware that bread made with milk should not be baked at too high of a temperature to prevent it from browning too much too soon.
What is the secret to sourdough bread? ›
The secret to sourdough is simple: water. The more water you add to your dough will affect how open the crumb (bigger holes and softer texture) will be once it's baked.
What makes sourdough bread rise more? ›
One way you can help your sourdough to rise more is by turning on the light in your oven. Preheat the oven just slightly, then turn off the heat and place the dough inside with the light on. The warmth generated by the light helps activate the yeast, which will cause it to rise faster.
What makes sourdough bread better? ›
Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.
If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.
What does egg do for flour? ›
Eggs as a leavening agent
Leavening agents are used to help batters rise. We usually attribute this reaction to yeasts and baking soda, but egg whites are also perfect for this role.
What happens when you mix eggs and flour? ›
Eggs provide structure and moisture, while flour acts as a binding agent and helps to thicken and stabilize mixtures. Together, they create a foundation for a wide variety of dishes, from cakes and cookies to bread and pasta.
What makes bread lighter and fluffier? ›
Well it's simple, bread flour has an increased amount of protein or more gluten which results in a lighter, fluffier dough which produces a less dense finished product. All-purpose flour can be used for bread but bread flour is always better if your goal is a “fluffier” bread.
Why is my homemade bread not light and airy? ›
Dough Doesn't Rise
It's likely due to the yeast. Your yeast could be expired, and it's time to buy fresh. Or, it's possible that your warm milk/water/liquid was too hot and it killed your yeast. Yeast is a living organism, after all.
Does adding an extra egg make cake more moist? ›
Boxed cake mixes tend to be lighter in consistency, but if you're craving that thicker, moister, denser cake, then all you have to do is add an extra egg to your mix. The additional fat in the egg yolk helps create a more tender and moist cake that is full of flavor.
Can you add egg after kneading? ›
The eggs can be beaten or not prior to addition. If you try to add extra wet ingredients later in the process the dough becomes slimy and very difficult to work with for a while.
What happens if I add an extra egg to banana bread? ›
Adding more eggs makes for a spongy, less flavorful banana bread. Doubling the number of eggs I was using resulted in a spongy cake with a moist texture. While the banana flavor was present, it wasn't as prominent as it was in other loaves. This had more of a hint of flavor.
