1,480 easy and fully explained recipes, with +66K photos and 78 videos

Preserving egg yolks

If you're using only the egg whites in a recipe (such as meringues ), you'll need to store the yolks until you're ready to use them again.
There's nothing very complicated about this in principle - all you have to do is chill them, but there are a few pitfalls to be avoided in practice.

4,665 5/5 (35 reviews)

Keywords for this post:Yolk Egg Storage Fridge Cold

Last modified on: June 18^th 2024

For this post: Comment Follow Send to a friend

Preserving egg yolks

Intact yolks if possible

Here's something to keep in mind: whole, or intact, yolks keep much better than if they're punctured, or liquid.
This is because the thin film that forms them, the membrane, also protects them from the outside, and prevents them from drying out.
So, as long as possible, keep them in their intact form, even if in your next recipe you'll have to crack them to incorporate them. It's best to do this at the last minute.

The enemy of yolks: dryness

The simplest and most natural way to chill yolks is to put them in a ramekin (or other small container), and place it in the fridge.

jaunes d'oeufs récipient frigo

But there are two small errors here: yolks fear dryness, and as the membrane is very fragile and thin, it will quickly dry out and stick, especially if left in the open air, and even more so if left in the cold, which tends to dry everything out.

Well-preserved yolks

So how do you keep your yolks in good condition?
You just need to do 2 things:

1) Put 1 teaspoon of neutral oil or even water in the bottom of the container before the yolks, then pour in the yolks.

jaunes d’œufs huilés pour le frigo

This will prevent them from drying out on contact with the container and sticking to the bottom.

2) Wrap the container with the yolks at all costs, or use a container with a lid, to isolate them from the air as much as possible.

Don't worry either, if you get one or more yolks punctured, it's no big deal, just a little less easy to handle, as the liquid yolks are very thick and sticky, and you'll have a bit of trouble emptying the container completely without loss (a maryse will be almost indispensable).

jaunes d'oeufs crevés et intacts

To sum up: try to keep your yolks intact, in a filmed or closed container, over a teaspoon of oil or water to prevent them from sticking.

Lasts posts

Travel cakes

You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.
January 27^th 20252,378

The aromatic power of sugar

In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...
December 25^th 20242,7385

The little trap of thick cream

When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...
December 13^th 20243,2145

Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?

When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...
November 29^th 20243,3525

No need to boil gelatin

Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...
November 21^th 20243,3095

See all posts Random post RSS feeds

Other pages you may also like

Toss the salad

When you've finished preparing a salad, green or otherwise, it's usually time to add the dressing and toss. It's often said to "toss the salad", which means to season and mix. Is it easy? Not so easy...
March 8^th 20247,5915

How to zest a fruit?

You will have no doubt noticed that many recipes call for the zest of citrus fruit. The zest is that outer layer of the skin which adds so much flavour to a dish. There are many different ways to peel off the zest and various tools are available. Here is a summary of the “dos and don'ts” of...
November 5^th 201343 K3.8

What happens to the bread when you make it?

This bread that we eat every day, and that our baker makes for us, what happens during its manufacture so that it becomes bread? I will try to answer this question, and to summarize the complex alchemy that takes place.
May 28^th 202111 K4.9

Preservative oil, an asset for taste

When you prepare a dish using an ingredient that has been preserved in fat, for example a springtime mixed salad with tuna in oil or sun-dried tomatoes, you're probably going to make a french dressing (vinaigrette) next. In that case, why not use the preserved oil from the tuna or tomatoes?
June 5^th 20244,5625

How to break eggs properly?

It is a very common gesture in pastry, bakery and of course cooking: breaking eggs to incorporate them into a recipe. You have eggs (which professionals call "shell eggs" to differentiate them from liquid eggs in cartons or cans), and you must break them to incorporate the contents into your...
June 26^th 202111 K4.8