I came across a lovely paragraph while going through the epicure asia magazine today – such lovely photos in this publication – about egg washes, and while I’ve known this sort-of-vaguely, I thought I’d share it with you guys in case you get down to some serious baking over the weekend – those cookies up there are a great start (photos rehashed from the archive!).
types of egg washes
whole eggs with salt create a shiny sheen – this is usually applied on breads
whole eggs with a splash of milk give you a matte finish – usually for cookies
whole eggs with a splash of water bring a golden hue – apparently usually for savouries
plain egg yolks only for a shiny brown finish – especially for pastry (this is my favourite one!)
yolks only with a splash of water will make for a warm golden finish
yolks with a splash of cream or milk renders a darker brown shade on your goods
egg whites only if you’re looking for a lightly-coloured and crisp surface
taken from epicure asia, april 2013, adapted from a quote by thierry delourneaux, executive pastry chef at the fairmont singapore and swissôtel the stamford.
andmorefood 