April 6, 2009 - 4:20pm
OK to store egg wash (1 whole egg mixed with 1 tsp of water) in fridge for 2 days
I googled my question but I'm not getting the answer I'm looking for. Must be the way I phrased my question. But here's my question: i love the egg wash effect on breads but I find I'm wasting too many eggs. I know I can freeze egg white but for how long?
Also, can I store the egg wash I used tonite in the fridge for use again tomorrow or the next day? Is it safe to use egg wash twice, bacteria-wise?
And how long can egg whites be stored in the freezer? I know we can't freeze egg yolk.
Anyone with advice?
Many thanks.
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I have some that I made up yesterday and used today. As long as it passes the 'smell' test, I'll use it.
--Pamela
guess i'll smell then, not that i have the greatest and sharpest sense of smell!
except my nose works pretty well.
--Pamela
ha-ha, i'm sure it does, pamela! as a child I always had a runny nose; hardly ever sick, but runny nose, I'm # 1.
:)
but the yolks ,might get a little darker. If just using the whites, you're good for at least a few days, and the wash is getting baked in a hot oven anyway.
thanks photojess, looks like it's unanimous: in the fridge, beaten eggs will last several days. next time i won't be too quick about throwing them out.
I've never done it myself, but apparently you have to add a bit of sugar if you're going to be using them for sweet baking, or salt if you're using them for savoury. Just make sure you mark on the container how many yolks you have and whether they've got sugar or salt. As for egg whites, I've frozen many, many of them in freezer bags, for months at a time.
thanks paddyL. yes, i've often wondered about the whites that are still in my freezer. guess i'll have to find a way to use them soon. that's a good idea about marking containers. will do that!
we would make quarts of egg wash at a time . the sugar would only give you more collor on the finished product because the sugar would carmalize. use a pinch if salt to hold the egg wash and it will be good for up to a week.
sugar is used when frezzing egg yolks to prevent then from gelling. the sugar will keep frozen egg yolks liqued. add about 3% sugar to the yolks and mix before frezzing. when using the frozen yolks reduce the sugar in the formula to account for the 3% sugar in the yolks
ah, another great idea nbicomputers! thanks so much. you know, i've never added sugar to my egg wash (i would just add water or olive oil), but adding sugar would probably give me that richer brown color.
and i didn't know we could freeze yolks too. whites, yes, but didn't think we could freeze yolks! thanks so much for the tip!
thanks!
Hi, I use egg wash all the time because I bake salty pies. You will know if it is bad by the smell, usually after four or five days.
thanks mexicancook. I'll go by smell then (also suggested by xaipete). I used my egg wash the 2nd time last night. glad i didn't throw it out.
an interesting aside: egg whites contain an enzyme called lysozyme which breaks down the cell wall of bacteria. so you may find that egg white keeps longer - because there's a natural anti-bacterial in them!
thanks, jj. i didn't know that! i have about 4 egg whites in the freezer and don't know what to do with them - i don't feel like meringue besides :)