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Syllabus for SP.287

• Week 1
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• Week 5
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• Week 7
• Week 8
• Week 9
• Week 10
• Week 11
• Week 12
• Week 13
• Week 14
• Week 15

SP.287 Kitchen Chemistry Seminar at MIT -Syllabus for Spring 2009

Tuesday, March 10th - Meringues

Weekly assignment

• Take a look at the recipe
• Reading assignment from the text (On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee, hardcover version (copywrite 2004) )page 100-109.

  Additional reading

• Meringue making
  • Why is a copper bowl the best?
  • here is a chemist explaining the use of copper bowls
  • Tips for whipping egg whites
  • More tips on meringues
  • all about eggs
• Fun sites
  • did you know there is an American Egg Board?

Homework Questions

Meringue specific questions:

1. Why can't you have any egg yolk if you want make meringues?
2. Why are copper bowls best to whip egg whites in?
3. Why can't you use a plastic bowl to whip egg whites?
4. What physical property describes a foam?
5. What happens to the egg foam when you cook it?
6. Why do we add cornstarch to the custard?
7. How can we prevent the meringue from collapsing?
8. What is the purpose of adding sugar?
9. Typically meringues have cream of tarter added to them. Why don't you think we don't have them in our recipe?

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Last updated: December 28, 2008