Add Hard-Boiled Egg Yolks to Cakes and Cookies for a More Tender Crumb
Aside from stuffed eggs and minced salads, I rarely think of adding hard-boiled egg yolks to recipes, let alone baked goods, but it turns out that it can make cakes, shortbread cookies, and biscuits as tender as you can imagine.
According to Bon Appetit , adding sifted tough yolks to a cake or cookie recipe keeps everything nice and tender while breaking the gluten network:
Here’s what happens: Tiny pieces of boiled yolk are embedded in the dough and interfere with the gluten web that forms when flour is mixed with wet ingredients. Gluten is needed in baked goods to give them texture, but too much makes them hard, chewy, which is usually not desirable in the baked goods world.
Obviously, this means you don’t want to add yolks to gummy baguettes or pizza crusts, but this tip is perfect for buttery cakes, cookies, cornbread, or anything that requires a moist crumbly texture. Plus, it’s amazingly easy to accomplish. Just strain an yolk or two and stir in; no other prescription adjustments are required.
This Ingredient Will Turn Your Baked Goods Into A Bake-worthy Dessert | Bon appetit