Baking 101: a series of how-tos and what’s what when it comes to home baking. The small stuff, explained.
I know you know. I know you know not to throw a carton of eggs in the bottom of the grocery bag, toss them thoughtlessly in the trunk of the car, shove them in the fridge, slam them on the counter. I don’t need to tell you to treat eggs delicately until, that is, the very moment you want what’s inside of them.
It is with humility that I show you how to crack and separate egg.
Baking is all about the details. How you measure flour, the accuracy of temperature in the oven, the softness of butter, the size of egg. All of the details matter and it’s helpful to know the rules and details… in my case… in order to occasionally break and ignore them.
Let’s talk about how to crack an egg. It’s exactly like rocket science but tremendously less complicated. Getting in good habits in the kitchen is key.
How to crack an egg: Crack an egg with firm pressure on a flat surface. Gently, but with confidence, separate the sides of the shell. I find it best to first crack eggs into a small bowl before adding them to a mixing bowl with other ingredients. This way, is a shell shard sneaks in, or if the eggs is bunk for some reason, you haven’t ruined you whole batter. These are things you learn by ruining large batches of Blueberry Muffin batter while working in a bakery.
How not to crack an egg: Try to refrain from the age-old method of cracking an egg on the side on the mixing bowl. This will shove (technical term) egg shell shards up in the egg white and yolk, possibly getting egg shell in your batter. This method may also break the egg yolk and cause all sorts of problems if you’re trying to separate an egg.
Note: Will cracking an egg on the side of a mixing bowl be the end of the world? No, and definitely yes.
Also helpful: Why We Use Large Eggs In Baking
Let’s talk about how to separate an egg. When we talk about separating an egg, we mean that we’re going to separate the egg white from the egg yolk. We’re separating protein (the white) from fat (the yolk). This will come in handy when you want to use egg yolks to make ice cream or egg whites to make angel food cake.
How to separate an egg: Set up two small bowls. Gently but firmly crack an egg on a flat surface. Use two hands to confidently pull the two halves of the shell apart over one small bowl. We’re going to use the edges of the shell to help us separate egg white from egg yolk so try to create two even halves with the egg shell. As the shell separates, bring the shell half in your right hand to face cracked side up. The yolk will rest in the shell and some of the egg white will fall into the bowl. Carefully transfer the yolk and remaining white to the shell half in your left hand, allowing the remaining egg white to fall away from the yolk. Gently place the yolk in the second bowl.
Another way to separate an egg: Set up two small bowls. Gently but firmly crack an egg on a flat surface. Place one hand over a bowl. Use the other hand to open the egg shell, dumping what’s inside the cracked egg directly into your hand over the bowl. Cracking an egg with one hand will take some practice. Allow the egg whites to fall between your fingers into the bowl and gently cradle the egg yolk. Gently transfer the egg yolk to the second bowl.
Also helpful in this series: How To Read A Recipe
And one of my favorite egg recipes: Sausage Cheddar and Grits Frittata
It’s always nice to review the basics! Happy baking!
Photographs with and by Jon Melendez.
Papu
I use a clean plastic bottle for separating. It’s SO easy.
Julia
Your blog brings so much joy (no name pun intended) and yumminess into my life : ) Thank you!! I work in Kenya, and manage a little café that helps refugee women make a living. Your recipes are featured regularly as we try new weekly specials (your Tortilla Soup and Cashew Carrot Soup are particular favourites). Just so you know – what your doing in your kitchen is not a small thing, and it’s touching a lot more people than you can imagine! Bake on homegirl : ) xo
Libby
Let me tell you–
I love reading your responses in the comments section. It’s one of my favorite parts. :D
Sara
Thanks so much for sharing! Separating eggs seems easy – until you try it!
Sara
saradiventi.blogspot.com
Jill
I love this post but dang a little video would be hella helpful
joythebaker
:/
Stella
Does it go without saying that one should wash their hands before separating eggs with this method? One would hope. :)
The plastic bottle method is pretty cool if you have a clean empty one available: https://www.thekitchn.com/can-you-use-an-empty-water-bottle-to-easily-separate-eggs-putting-tips-to-the-test-in-the-kitchn-200436
sweetteasweetie (@SweetTSweetie)
Love these tips! Thanks for sharing!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
me
great post, joy!! i thought you were going to teach us how to use one hand to crack an egg when i read the title ;)
Claudio Drott
Have you tried the one where you seperate the eggs with a plastic bottle?
joythebaker
ha! no… tell me more. that sounds complicated!
Nadia@maisontravers
This is one of the first things I teach students in my cooking school. You would be amazed at how many people do this incorrectly.
Leslie
This is exactly how I crack an egg and how I taught my daughter to do t too. And I completely agree on cracking eggs into a separate bowl before adding to the batter. I even go so far as to separate egg whites individually before adding to the main bowl. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten to the very last egg for a meringue, only for the whole batch to be ruined by a trace of egg yolk in the very last egg. :-(
JoanieB
Great idea, never thought of that, thanks!
deb
Look up nutritional value of the yoke of an egg. It is not fat. It is loaded with nutrients and protein.
joythebaker
It is part fat. I understand the nutritional value of an egg yolk. Fat is not a bad word to me.
Kendall Werts
+1
and the delicious value…
Faith from Home Ec @ Home
Love the photos. This would have been great to show my students when I taught Home Ec. I often use my hands to separate eggs or an egg separater. Great tips. Another helpful tip is that you can freeze egg whites for future use. I always save the egg whites when I make a chocolate or banana cream pie and freeze them in a small labeled baggie. Then, when I want to make an angel food cake, I simply thaw the whites in the fridge and they are ready to use.
Kendall Werts
Oh my gosh … Brilliant! This is exactly what I will do when I have left over egg whites!
leslie
this is hilarious
siri
Hi, I hate to be this girl. I’m going to be this girl. It’s SEPARATE from the Latin Separare. (not sepERate)
joythebaker
you can always be that girl! this slipped by me, and thank you!
margie s
It’s still there on the header (against the purple egg shape). . . .