Perfect Beaten Egg Whites

How do I maximize the volume of beaten egg whites?

Depending on what you use your beaten egg whites for, you will need to beat them to different degrees of stiffness. Regardless of the recipe, there are a few important things to remember:

Separate eggs while they're cold but let them reach room temperature before beating them to get maximum volume

Separate eggs one at a time over a small bowl and look for traces of yolk. If the white is free of yolk, pour into another bowl to use in your recipe. If there is any yolk, scoop out all traces of yolk and if you can't get it all, use the egg in another recipe

Make sure everything is dry and super grease-free...mixing bowl, whisk or beaters. Avoid using plastic bowls as they can sometimes build up a greasy film

Add a pinch of salt or cream of tartar to help stabilize the whites

Beat the whites to medium soft peaks before adding sugar gradually ( 1 to 2 Tbsp. at a time)

Don't overbeat the whites past the firm, glossy point. The whites will get lumpy and watery and if used in baking, won't hold volume well.

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