Have you ever wondered how some breads and baked goods get that gorgeous sheen? It's a simple mixture of egg and liquid called an egg wash. Aside from adding a nice glimmer, they are workhorses in the pastry world, and can be used to seal edges, add shine, add a crisper crust, or enhance the golden color of baked goods.
What is an egg wash?
"It's essentially a filter for your baked goods," says food historian and baker KC Hysmith. "It's a really simple thing that most bakers should learn to enhance their baked goods. In baking, many recipes call for an egg wash to be brushed on the baked goods before it goes into the oven. The purpose of this is to give the final product a golden brown color that is slightly shiny. Egg washes can make the final product look more professional, a bit crispier, or act as a binder."
Aside from the obvious benefit of egg washes making baked goods appear shiny and glazed, they can also serve as an adhesive. "Historically, egg whites were used as an adhesive, added to recipes to bind ingredients together," Hysmith says. "This is the same idea. This means using an egg wash mixture to make something stick, such as using one to make braided pie dough or pocket dough stick together. You can even layer an egg wash before applying sugars or other things you want to stick together."
Egg washes are simple, but there are a few different types, each with its own effect on baked goods. "Egg washes can be made with cream, water, and different parts of the egg, to achieve varying final touches," notes F&W associate food editor Paige Grandjean. "They all have their time and place." Here are a few to know:
This is the most traditional egg wash, made by whisking together an egg and about a tablespoon of water. This all-purpose egg wash gives baked goods a golden sheen.
Egg only
If you are looking to achieve a darker golden brown color on your baked goods, simply whisk an egg and brush it over the dough before baking.
Using whisked egg yolk as an egg wash will give your baked goods a golden hue, "which was a big trend in the '50s, '60s, and '70s," says Hysmith.
Egg white only
An egg white brushing will yield a nice, clear shine, or as Hysmith describes it, "that glazed look." Aside from using an egg white-only egg wash to add shine, it is also useful in helping sugar adhere to cookie or pastry dough as an edible glue.
Egg plus milk or cream
"Using cream or milk is a very old-school egg wash method, but popular," says Haysmith. By brushing an egg beaten with milk or cream, you will get a baked good with a light golden brown color and a nice amount of shine.
Mayonnaise
You may be surprised to learn that mayonnaise makes an excellent egg wash, but it makes sense when you consider that traditional mayonnaise includes eggs. Consider using it as an egg wash replacement the next time you are baking something savory, for a nice bit of shine and some extra fat and acidity.
Pick the best brush
The best brush to use with an egg wash is a silicone pastry brush; it is easier to clean than a natural bristle brush. Grandjean also advises adding a pinch of salt to your egg wash. "It helps to denature the proteins and gives you a super smooth wash for brushing," she explains.
If you have some egg wash leftover after baking, you can keep it, wrapped in the refrigerator for two days. This is especially useful if you are doing a lot of baking over the course of a few days. Or, simply use your leftover egg wash to make some scrambled eggs.
Egg wash is beaten egg used to glaze or seal baked goods or to adhere breading to foods like cutlets. Whole egg is beaten alone or with another liquid like water, milk or cream. The wash is brushed over the surface of goods like breads, pastries and pies to give them a shiny browned appearance after baking.
But let's not underestimate the egg wash, a small but important step that gives the crust its shine. Lending countless baked goods (pie crust, pastries, breads, and more) a glistening golden shell, an egg wash also helps seal the dough, providing a protective barrier from the heat of the oven.
It's not necessary or recommended for consumers to wash commercially packaged eggs, and it may actually increase the risk of contamination because the wash water can be "sucked" into the egg through the pores in the shell. When the chicken lays the egg, a protective coating is put on the outside by the hen.
An egg wash is just a beaten egg and a bit of water or milk brushed on to the thing you're “washing.” If you don't use egg wash, you just don't get the sheen and deeper golden brown coloring.
Egg white mixed with some cornstarch is the key to the crunchiest coating. An egg wash, often used to add an attractive sheen to an English pasty or Cuban pastelito, is also an essential step in the breading process, whether you are planning to fry chicken, vegetables, or fish.
In baking, many recipes call for an egg wash to be brushed on the baked goods before it goes into the oven. The purpose of this is to give the final product a golden brown color that is slightly shiny. Egg washes can make the final product look more professional, a bit crispier, or act as a binder."
An egg white mixed with water is best used for baked goods that would benefit from a nice gloss and just some light golden color. An egg yolk mixed with water will yield a deep golden color (much like a whole beaten egg without any liquid). Using milk or cream will further enhance the color and gloss.
Another option is brushing with melted butter as a finishing touch. Is it better to use an egg wash or butter on your pie crust? We are Team Egg Wash (or Cream Wash). While melted butter adds more flavor than the washes, it is less effective in look; it gives a speckled appearance to pastry.
Eggs have small pores which harmful bacteria can enter. Even shells that appear clean can carry germs. Even so, eggs do not need to be washed. If not washed, they can keep without spoiling for weeks without refrigeration.
Other plant-based substitutes for egg wash include maple syrup, flaxseed, nondairy milks like rice milk and almond milk, molasses, aquafaba and various blends with olive oil or vegetable oil. But do yourself a favor this holiday season and brush that pie with some JUST Egg.
If you also only have an egg yolk or egg white leftover this will work too, but will have varying results - egg white will give a more clear shine, while egg yolk only will give a slightly darker finish. I prefer to use a whole egg combined with water, but use what you have on hand!
A fresh batch of egg wash will last up to two days when properly refrigerated, per the American Egg Board, so if you're making several baked goods recipes one weekend, there's no need to make a new bowl of egg wash every time.
Other plant-based substitutes for egg wash include maple syrup, flaxseed, nondairy milks like rice milk and almond milk, molasses, aquafaba and various blends with olive oil or vegetable oil. But do yourself a favor this holiday season and brush that pie with some JUST Egg.
For a deeper brown sheen with a crispier crust, use water.For a lighter, slightly shinier sheen with a softer crust, use milk or heavy cream. For a firmer, lighter crust with little shine, use only the egg white and water. For a darker, richer hue, use only the egg yolk.
Another option is brushing with melted butter as a finishing touch. Is it better to use an egg wash or butter on your pie crust? We are Team Egg Wash (or Cream Wash). While melted butter adds more flavor than the washes, it is less effective in look; it gives a speckled appearance to pastry.
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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