Egg Wash 101 (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a good egg wash? ›

Beat one large egg and one tablespoon of liquid (water, milk, or cream) in a small bowl with a fork until well combined. (Alternatively, beat one large egg white or one large egg yolk with one teaspoon of liquid.) Brush the egg wash mixture evenly on the surface of the dough using a pastry brush.

For a deeper brown sheen with a crispier crust, use water. For a lighter, slightly shinier sheen with a softer crust, use milk or heavy cream. For a firmer, lighter crust with little shine, use only the egg white and water. For a darker, richer hue, use only the egg yolk.

Egg wash is a mix of beaten whole egg and water (or milk or cream), which is used to brush onto the top of baked goods before baking. The purpose of egg wash is to provide a nice golden brown, shiny finish on your baking.

You can substitute with whatever milk you keep on hand, including alt milks, or an equal amount of heavy cream, half-and-half, or water—or skip it entirely and just use a whole egg. Note that the varying levels of sugar and fat in these product will yield slightly different results. Wash it whichever way you want.

Wash and rinse eggs in warm to hot water. Water temperature in the 90-120oF range is best; hot tap water is generally 120oF. The temperature should be at least 20 degrees warmer than the egg. If “freshly laid” eggs are gathered, use temperatures at the warmer end of the range.

In baking, many recipes call for an egg wash to be brushed on the baked goods before it goes into the oven. The purpose of this is to give the final product a golden brown color that is slightly shiny. Egg washes can make the final product look more professional, a bit crispier, or act as a binder."

The typical egg wash ratio is one tablespoon of liquid to one egg, or half a tablespoon of liquid to either part of the egg: yolk or white. Put the liquid and egg in a bowl, beat them together, and voila: egg wash.

The standard breading procedure includes three steps: dredging in flour, moistening in egg wash (beaten egg plus a tablespoon or two of water or milk), then coating in breadcrumbs or Panko (Japanese bread crumbs with terrific texture!).

Place leftover egg wash in a covered container and refrigerate it. If you don't have another baking project coming up, add it to one of these dishes: Omelet. Scrambled eggs.

We did find, however, that in addition to flavoring the wash, salt helps denature the proteins in the egg, making it more fluid and therefore much easier to brush evenly and gently over delicate doughs. We'll be adding a pinch of salt to our egg washes from now on.

Can I substitute milk for egg wash? ›

1. Milk or Cream. According to David Joachim, author of The Food Substitutions Bible, the very best substitute for egg wash is milk or heavy cream. Simply brush the baked good with 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream for every ¼ cup of egg wash the recipe calls for.

Different types of egg wash

It can be just a whole egg, just the white, just the yolk, or a combination of any part of an egg mixed with water, milk, or cream. Some recipes even contain a small amount of sugar to aid in caramelization.

If using soap, use unscented soap to wash your eggs. Warm water allows the egg to expand and push bacteria out, but cold water pulls the bacteria in. Sanitizing your eggs lessens the microbial load on the shell. Using a chlorine-based sanitizer between 50-100ppm protects the cuticle of the egg while sanitizing.

1. Milk or Cream. According to David Joachim, author of The Food Substitutions Bible, the very best substitute for egg wash is milk or heavy cream. Simply brush the baked good with 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream for every ¼ cup of egg wash the recipe calls for.

Take one whole egg. Whisk in a bowl. Take it into the shower with you. Rinse hair with luke warm/ cold water.