Tempering Eggs
The technique of slowly heating eggs with hot liquid to prevent curdling, essential for smooth custards.
Tempering limit: Whisk continuously while pouring hot liquid slowly to keep eggs below 140°F (60°C)
Tempering eggs (or egg yolks) is a crucial culinary technique used when combining raw eggs with a hot liquid. Egg proteins are highly sensitive to heat: if they are added directly to a boiling liquid, they will coagulate instantly, turning your smooth mixture into scrambled eggs. Tempering prevents this by gradually raising the temperature of the eggs. To temper, a small, steady stream of the hot liquid is slowly whisked into the beaten eggs. The continuous whisking disperses the heat, diluting the egg proteins and raising their temperature slowly without cooking them. Once the eggs have reached a warm, matching temperature, they can be safely stirred back into the main pot of hot liquid to thicken.
This technique is foundational for making smooth vanilla custards, pastry creams, ice cream bases, curds, and rich cream soups. It requires patience and constant motion rushing the addition of hot liquid will exceed the protein coagulation threshold (approx. 140°F to 160°F / 60°C to 70°C), forming rubbery egg bits.
Pouring the hot liquid too quickly or failing to whisk continuously. The heat will immediately curdle the egg proteins, leaving rubbery bits of cooked egg in your custard.
Universally taught in culinary schools as a core technique. Straining the finished custard through a fine-mesh sieve is recommended to catch any micro-coagulated egg.
Essential for making pastry creams, custards, ice cream bases, crème anglaise, curds, and egg-thickened sauces.