A pastry should look appetizing almost as much as it should taste delicious. It’s easy to forget egg wash as a step. Not many people know the importance of egg wash as an ingredient when it comes to baking pies, bread, and other pastries.
A small step that may seem unnecessary to many first-time cooks is something even professional chefs make a note to do. Egg Wash is essential, but what is it?
What Is Egg Wash?
Applying egg wash is one of the last steps in most baking recipes. It’s an ingredient made by beating an egg and adding another liquid to mix it. Egg wash alters the appearance of a pastry, turning it from bland to a mouth-watering glazed gold.
Using egg wash can also adjust the flavor of your bread or pastry, but it depends on the liquid you choose to incorporate in your wash. Without layering egg wash on your baked goods, they will come out of the oven, appearing bland and dry.
Eggwash changes the appearance of your food and makes it look even more appetizing.
Egg Wash Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Tbsp Milk
- 1 Tbsp Cream
Instructions
How To Make Egg Wash
- It’s easy to make a good egg wash because there is very little you have to do. Apart from measuring how much you need of each ingredient, the main thing you have to do is combine and mix. Of course, the essential ingredient is an egg, but the steps are just as simple.
- Beat an Egg:Whether you go with just the yolk, the white or the entire egg, it’s key that you thoroughly beat it. If you leave any non-mixed parts and the consistency isn’t smooth, the outcome of your pastry might be off.
- Add Your Liquid:The next and last step is adding in your liquid. You can use cream, milk, water or any liquid substance you want to add for taste or a certain appearance. Whatever you decide to use can alter the outcome.
- Water will have a light golden brown, but milk or cream can add more color and alter the texture to a more glossy one.
How To Apply Egg Wash
- Once you’ve made your egg wash, you can start applying it to your bread or pastries. The best way to do so is with a pastry brush, so your layer is even and consistent.
- If you don’t have a pastry brush, you can use a new paintbrush, a new toothbrush, or even the back of a spoon.
- The most effective way is a brush, but these alternatives work in spreading the egg wash, which is the key to making your pastry a golden brown.
Tips & Tricks for Egg Wash Recipe
Most steps in baking need to be followed exactly in order to get the correct outcome. However, bakers often use tips and tricks to make their pastries and bread stand out from others. Use the following tips for the egg wash to make your delicious treats, like bread or pie crust, even more appetizing.
Layer Your Egg Wash
For a darker golden color, you can double your egg wash layer.
Doing this can be tricky because adding too much egg wash at once can ruin the smooth texture completely. You only want to add a second layer of egg wash once the first layer is dried. You may add it after your pastry has been in the oven for a bit.
By doing so, you can emphasize the lattice on your pie or the cut designs you made on your loaf of bread. It’s a slight change, but layering your egg wash is creative and can make your food stand out.
Season Your Egg Wash
Egg wash isn’t always just used for the color of your pastry. It can work as a binding ingredient, allowing you to add sesame seeds or other seasonings on top of your bread and stay there. You can also add seasoning to your egg wash to add a hint of flavor to your loaf of bread.
Switch Up Your Liquids
We discussed how mixing egg with water or milk makes a solid and standard egg wash, but you aren’t limited to these options. There are all kinds of liquids you can use in your egg wash.
You can make an egg wash with maple syrup, honey, juice, or any liquid-like substance that will add flavor that milk or water lack. The texture will change, especially with the thicker, stickier substances, but it adds flavor.
Vegan Options
If you want to give your pie crust or the top of your loaf of bread a golden color but are allergic to eggs, you can make an egg wash without it.
Olive oil, vegan butter, and aquafaba, which are liquid from chickpeas, all offer a similar golden brown and can replace the egg in your egg wash.
There are options and substitutes for egg wash. It all depends on the outcome you’re hoping to get.
Nutrition Information of Egg Wash Recipe
Egg wash adds very little nutritional value to your food. It’s normally spread in a very thin layer and used for aesthetic purposes.
Egg wash has egg, which is a very good source of protein, but because such a small amount is used in the steps, it rarely adds anything nutritionally based to your food.
| Calories | 9 Kcal (37.7 kJ) | ||
| Calories from fat | 6.15 Kcal | ||
| % Daily Value* | |||
| Total Fat | 0.68g | 1% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | 19.28mg | 6% | |
| Sodium | 7.29mg | 0% | |
| Potassium | 7.27mg | 0% | |
| Total Carbs | 0.06g | 0% | |
| Protein | 0.66g | 1% | |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 3.1mg | 0% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
If you use honey or maple syrup, they will add slight nutritional value because of the thickness of each, but not much.
Conclusion
Egg wash doesn’t have much to it, but it alters the appearance of your pastry, bread, or whatever you decide to use it on. Egg wash makes your apple pie gleam, your loaf of bread golden brown, or your puff pastry flakier.
Whether you use the standard egg and water, or a different combination of olive oil and butter, follow the same recipe steps for the best outcome.
Very good flavor.
Cooked this last night. Was impressed with how good this tasted given the ingredients, but it was delicious.
I loved the flavours in this recipe.