Eggs are always on the shopping list in our house. Last week on a trip to the supermarket, I had the frustrating task of seeking out a box of large eggs that were in a sellable condition.

All but one box were cracked, and my thoughts turned to my friend (who has just invested in couple of chickens) who recently told me that she is delighted that her chicks produce the most amazing tasting eggs every morning.

Hmm…I’m tempted, but as we’ve just revamped our garden I don’t think Mr S would welcome any such addition.

We cook and bake with a lot of eggs, and it’s easy to not give this a second thought but they are an important ingredient in baking, and I’d be lost without them.

So, let’s give them the attention they deserve by sharing with you some key tips about eggs.

1/ Eggs are a key component in many baking recipes as they bind the other ingredients together. They provide flavour and act as a leavening agent (this means it helps to make a light texture as the carbon dioxide bubbles expand in the batter).

2/ Egg shells are porous and can absorb strong cooking smells, so it’s best to store them away in their carton.

3/ It’s recommended to bring your eggs to room temperature before use. This enables the batter to be at room temperature before it goes in the oven, hence not affecting the suggested oven time. You’ll also have a larger volume of egg batter when beaten at room temperature.

4/ To store eggs, it’s advised that you should store them in the fridge as they can last up to a month refrigerated. Personally, I buy in small batches and store them at room temperature. This is to save taking them out of the fridge every time I need to use an egg. I never have to keep them long so they remain fresh. If you want to store eggs for longer, place them in the fridge and remember to take them out a few hours before baking to bring them to room temperature.

5/ How do you tell how old an egg is?

Place an egg in a glass of cold water if:

a)      It sinks to a completely horizontal position, then it’s very fresh.

b)      It tilts up slightly or is semi-horizontal, then it could be up to a week old.

c)       It floats into a vertical position, then the egg is stale

For those that keep chickens and use their eggs, I’d love to hear how this makes a difference in your baking? Does it make them lighter or taste different?

Do you let me know in the comments box below, many thanks.

Happy Baking!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 at 1:01 pm and is filed under Baking Basics, Baking Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.