[Sca-cooks] beating egg whites

[Nicolas Steenhout]

>My question is, how long should you have to beat the egg whites (I
>doubled the recipe) to get "stiff peaks"? I thought I was getting some
>peaks and kept beating (with a whisk and and egg beater), what peaks
>I thought I might have, went away. And no matter what I did after this
>it never did get thick. When spooned up it would quickly run off and
>fall back in the liquid, without leaving any evidence. Is it possible
>to beat the eggs 'too' much?

It can take a while, though with one or two egg whites, it shouldn't be too
long.  There are several reasons why egg whites might not "take".

If you have *any* trace of yolk in your whites, they will not take.
If you have other stuff in your whites, they will not take.
If your eggs are old, they might not take.
I'd beat the whites until they are "loosened" (hard to describe with
words), don't add the sugar right away.
If the humidity level in the air is high, it might give you troubles.

Stiff peaks are indeed similar to the stuff on top of lemon pies, except
that usualy, on pies you put *cooked* meringue, where you would beat the
whites and sugar over a bain-marie (double-boiler) as you beat them.

If your whites don't take, I don't believe there really is any way to save
them.

Hope this helps

Muiredach seòlta mac Loloig
aka
Nicolas Steenhout
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry