How to Pasteurize Eggs

Want to enjoy a mouthwatering tiramisu, but the presence of raw eggs keeps you awake at night?

If the eggs are fresh or extra fresh, there should be no problem. But safety and prevention are never a given. In this tutorial I will show you how to pasteurize eggs for desserts like tiramisu and for savory dishes like mayonnaise.

Pasteurization is nothing more than thermal sanitation, studied and tested by Frenchman Louis Pasteur in the second half of the 1800s. It's the process by which a raw food is heated until all vegetative bacteria that could lead to salmonella risk are killed.

In cooking, it's sometimes very important, especially on fresh products such as raw organic milk and yes, eggs.

Equipment

• To get started, you will need a candy thermometer, which is essential in order to maintain the temperature required for pasteurization. If you start using it, you'll see that it will become a very important ally for your recipes!
• I recommend the use of a stand mixer, so that while the eggs are being beaten, you can prepare the syrup and pour it into the eggs; it's easier and more convenient cooking the eggs with this kitchen tool.

How to Pasteurize Eggs for Desserts

Now I will show you how to cook eggs for Tiramisu, the most famous Italian dessert in the world.

Egg Yolks

For 4 yolks, you need 50 g (¼ cup) of granulated sugar and 25 g (1 ¾ tablespoons) of water.

Step 1) - Whip the egg yolks with a stand mixer. Meanwhile prepare a syrup with water and sugar and heat it to a temperature of 121°C (250 F).

Step 2) - Pour the hot syrup in a trickle into the whipped yolks, stirring constantly with the whisk. Whisk the cream until it reaches room temperature, which usually takes about 10 minutes. You can test the temperature of the cream by touching the outside of the bowl. If the bowl feels cool, the cream is sufficiently cooled. This preparation is known as "pate à bombe". It's a smooth and light mixture of eggs, sugar and water, which is often used as a basic element in various pastry recipes.

NOTE: If you don't have a candy thermometer, the syrup is ready when small white bubbles form on the surface. It's very important that the syrup does not exceed 121°C (250°F), the temperature at which the sugar begins to caramelize (you'll know when it begins to darken).

Egg Whites

For 4 egg whites at room temperature, you need 50 g (¼ cup) of granulated sugar and 25 g (1 ¾ tablespoons) of water.

Step 1) - Start by beating the egg whites with a stand mixer. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and water to make a syrup. Heat it until it reaches a temperature of 121°C (250 F).

Step 2) - When has reached the right temperature, pour the syrup into the egg whites, which will be whipped to stiff peaks at medium-low speed. Whisk the egg whites until they reach room temperature, which usually takes about 10 minutes.

Whole Eggs

For 4 eggs you need 100 g (½ cup) of granulated sugar and 50 g (3 ½ tablespoons) of water.

Step 1) - Place the whole eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start beating on medium speed.

Step 2) - Meanwhile, put the sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir to make a syrup. Heat it over medium heat and monitor the temperature with a kitchen thermometer.

Step 3) - When the temperature reaches 121°C (250 F), pour the syrup into the beaten eggs, stirring constantly with the whisk of the mixer. Continue beating the eggs until the egg-sugar cream has reached room temperature. Your pasteurized eggs are ready!

How to Pasteurize Eggs for Savory Preparations

In this case, for obvious reasons, you cannot pasteurize with sugar-water syrup, but must heat some vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil for example.

You can either use whole eggs or yolks and whites separately.

Step 1) - Heat the vegetable oil to a temperature of 121°C (250 F). Be careful not to touch the bottom of the pan with the thermometer or you will get an incorrect temperature reading.

Step 2) - In the meantime, start beating the eggs with the whisks. When the oil has reached the indicated temperature, pour it in a trickle without stopping, keeping the whisks in action.

For mayonnaise, when you're done with the hot oil, you usually switch to olive oil (kept at room temperature), always pouring it in and continuing to emulsify.

That's it, the eggs are pasteurized! Ready to be used in your fantastic recipes. Let's make some mascarpone cream and mayonnaise!