Leftover Egg Whites? Three Ways
Meringue, financiers or an omelet, depending on how many egg whites are in the jar.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
Meringue, financiers or an omelet, depending on how many egg whites are in the jar. After making carbonara, mayonnaise or crème brûlée, egg whites are left over, and they keep for three days in the fridge or months in the freezer. Here are the three uses that really work, sorted by quantity.
Why this works
Egg whites consist of about 90 percent water and 10 percent proteins, primarily ovalbumin. When beaten, these protein chains unfold and arrange themselves around the incorporated air bubbles, creating the foam. It is unstable because the chains continue to contract and squeeze out water. Sugar prevents exactly this by binding the water. That is why the ratio for meringue is twice as much sugar as egg white, and that is why the sugar is sprinkled in slowly instead of all at once. Fat is the enemy of this structure. Even a trace of egg yolk or a greasy whisk prevents the protein chains from connecting, which is one reason why egg whites are beaten in a clean metal or glass bowl and never in plastic, which holds onto fat.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Way 1: Beating the meringue
Beat three egg whites with salt and lemon juice in a fat-free metal or glass bowl until they form soft peaks. Then sprinkle in the sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue beating until the mixture is glossy and no longer feels grainy between your fingers.
- 2
Way 1: Drying for 90 minutes at 100 °C
Pipe dollops onto parchment paper and dry them for ninety minutes at 100 °C top and bottom heat, leaving the oven slightly open with a wooden spoon. Meringue is not baked but dried, as it browns and cracks at higher temperatures. Let cool in the oven.
- 3
Way 2: Baking financiers
Brown the butter until it smells nutty, and let it cool. Mix the powdered sugar, almonds and flour, stir in the unbeaten egg whites and finally the brown butter. Fill into greased molds and bake for fifteen minutes at 190 °C.
- 4
Way 3: Omelet in the pan
Whisk the egg whites with water, salt and pepper only briefly, do not beat them until frothy. Let set in butter over low heat for four minutes, sprinkle with chives, and fold. Egg whites coagulate at 62 degrees and become rubbery within a minute if the heat is too high.
