Finalized experiment (Whitney)

Finalized Experiment

Experimental Test

How does the egg white beating time affect the height of a soufflé?

Hypothesis

If the egg white beating time is longer, the height of the baked soufflé will increase.

Before Cooking

What?

Ingredients: Egg yolks, egg white, unsalted butter, sugar, low gluten flour, whole milk, vanilla essence

Tools: Electric whisker, bowls, spatula, ruler, timer, egg separator, balance, oven

Who?

Ho Wing, from group 17. I do the shopping and cooking. 

Where?

I buy all the ingredients except eggs and sugar from the baking material shop (Kam Fat Baking) in Mong Kok. There are tools, egg, and sugar at home. I carry out the experiment at my home. 

When?

I do the experiment on 20 March 2020. 

Why?

To find out the most appropriate egg white beating time (i.e. the appropriate whipped egg white stage) for the most desirable height of the soufflé.

How?

The experiment will be carried out by doing 6 trials with the same ingredients and procedures but different egg white beating time (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 minutes respectively). The height of each soufflé should be measured with a ruler immediately after it leaves the oven because it will deflate so soon.

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Identifying 3 variables

Independent variable:

The time of beating the egg white 

Dependent variable:

The height of the soufflé

Controlled variables: 

• The amount of all the ingredients
• The type and size of equipment (i.e. mixing bowl, electric whisk, ramekin, oven, spatula, pot)
• The temperature of all the ingredients (i.e. room temperature) 
• The temperature of the oven 
• The soufflé baking time 
• The number of egg whites to be beaten each time
• The strength/speed of egg white beating (an electric whisk is used to ensure the strength consistency)  

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    The Soufflé Ingredients Preparation

Ingredients:

Serving: 3 

2  Egg yolks  

3  Egg white

20g  Unsalted butter

30g  Sugar 

20g Low gluten flour
150mL Whole milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

5g  Unsalted butter for the ramekin preparation
10g Sugar for the ramekin preparation

P.s. Since all the ingredients except for egg white are controlled, I will make the 3-servings batter, then I will divide it equally into 3 trials.  Meanwhile, I will independently beat the 1 egg white with 5g sugar and 1/3 teaspoon Vanilla essence (referring to step 7) each trial.

Serving: 1 

2/3  Egg yolks  

1     Egg white

20/3g  Unsalted butter

10g     Sugar 

20/3g  Low gluten flour
50mL Whole milk

1/3 teaspoon Vanilla essence

5g  Unsalted butter for the ramekin preparation
10g Sugar for the ramekin preparation

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The Soufflé Experiement

While Cooking

Serving:1 for each trial

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C

2. Brush 5g butter and coat 10g sugar onto the interior surface of the ramekin.

3. Heat the milk with 20g butter with low heat.

4. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites.
5. Beat the egg yolk with the 15g sugar, sifted low gluten flour and milk.
6. Heat the egg yolk mixture with low heat and keep stirring it while heating. Then cool it down. 

P.s. Since all the ingredients except for egg white are controlled, I will make the 3-servings batter, then I will divide it equally into 3 trials. 

7. Beat the egg white. Then add in 5g sugar at a time, while you beat it. Add in a 1/3 teaspoon of vanilla extract once they were dissolved. 

8. Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

9. Pour the batter into a ramekin.

10. Use a spatula to make the surface flat.

11. Circle along the edges of the mixture and the ramekin with a finger.

12. Put it into the preheated oven.

13. Bake it at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
14. Take it out of the oven.
15. Measure the height of the soufflé with a ruler immediately.

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After Cooking

The height of each soufflé was measured by using a ruler once after it was taken out of the oven.

The result will be noted below. The content of pictures includes the state of the meringue, the appearance of the soufflés and the measurement results.

Result

1 min egg white beating time: 6.1cm 

2 min egg white beating time: 6.4cm

3 min egg white beating time: 6.8cm

4 min egg white beating time: 7.3cm

5 min egg white beating time: 7.3cm

6 min egg white beating time: 6.2cm

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Analysis: Trend/ Pattern/ Correlation between IV and DV

In this experiment, the effect of the egg white beating time on the height of the soufflé was tested with 6 trials from 1 to 6 minutes egg white whisking respectively. From the experiment, there was an increase in soufflé height as the egg white beating time longer. From 1 to 4 minutes of egg white whisking, there was a gradual rise in the height of the soufflé (i.e. 6.1cm, 6.4cm, 6.8cm and 7.3cm).  From 4 and 5 minutes of egg white whisking, it remained unchanged in the height of the soufflé but was with differences in appearance. Although they were with 7.3cm in height, the soufflé done by 4-minute egg white whisking was with the cracked and collapsed surface while the soufflé done by 5-minute egg white whisking was with the flat surface. Lastly, it showed a sharp fall in the height of the soufflé (i.e. 6.2cm) done by 6-minute egg white whisking.

From the result above, there was a rising trend at first that a gradual increase in the height of the soufflé as the egg white beating time longer. From 1 to 4 minutes of egg white whisking, the meringue state changed from foamy to stiff foam to soft peak to stiff peaks. Meanwhile, from 4 and 5 minutes of egg white whisking, the meringues were both at the same stage but resulted in various appearances. Therefore, it is analyzed that there is a wide time range for the formation of stiff peak meringue. The stiff peak meringue can be further divided into different levels which will contribute to the appearance but not the height. Consequently, the height of the soufflé done by 6-minute meringue fell drastically from the peak as the egg white beating time was too long for meringue that the meringue had become overbeaten.

To be concluded, with this recipe, 4 to 5 minutes of egg white beating time is an optimal time range for baking the tallest soufflé. During this time range, this can create an optimal meringue stage which is the stiff peak, functions the best to the height of the soufflé. Indeed, 5-minute egg white beating time is relatively better than the 4-minute by comparing the appearance as well. Moreover, under-beaten egg whites which are at foamy, stiff foam or soft peak stage, will result in a soufflé that does not rise to its potential. Apart from under-beaten meringue, over-beaten egg whites not only result in a soufflé not rising to its potential height, but also a cracked and collapsed soufflé.

In a nutshell, the result partially matches the hypothesis "If the egg white beating time is longer, the height of the baked soufflé will increase." that the change in the height of the soufflé actually depends on the meringue stages. Therefore, the hypothesis is partially fulfilled and has to be revised to "The height of the soufflé increases as longer egg white beating time, however, after the optimal whisking time is reached, the height of soufflé decreases when further longer whisking time."

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Minimizing the errors

1. Eggs at room temperature were used in this experiment to minimize the errors that would come from the temperature of eggs. The temperature of eggs can affect the performance of whisking egg whites and the height of the baked food. Egg at room temperature can give a greater volume of meringue after whisking and facilitate rising the mixture to a higher level of height during baking as it is with a lighter texture. 

2. Butter and sugar were used to coat the ramekin before baking to minimize the errors that would come from mixture sticking to the ramekin, restricting being raised. Greasing the ramekin and coating it in sugar can facilitate a soufflé rise evenly.

3. A ruler was used to measure the height of a soufflé in this experiment. The height of the soufflé was measured with the ruler by eye-level observation. However, the error might exist under this observation. Therefore, other measuring methods should be done to improve the measuring process for measurement accuracy in the future experiment. By taking experience from other group mates, Kristy's measurement method which is using a bamboo stick and marker to mark down the height of a soufflé, is considered to be used in the future experiment. It is a more accurate measurement method comparing to mine. It is to use a bamboo stick (or a chopstick) to insert vertically into the highest point of a soufflé, and thus to use a marker to mark down its height. After that, the length between the stick tip and the mark is measured to find out the result.

4. The measuring time was different each time when a soufflé was baked. Although the height of a soufflé was measured immediately after baking, the time from baking done to measurement may be various. This might lead to inaccuracy to compare the height differences as a soufflé deflates easily. To improve this shortcoming, the measurement time should be united to be 30seconds after baking in future experiments.  

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Behind the scenes

Some scenes and video clips of the trials are captured.

• Separating egg whites and yolk with the egg separator;
• Measuring the ingredients;
• Heating up the batter.

Mixing of the batter and 1-minute beaten meringue (foamy)

Mixing of the batter and 6-minute beaten meringue (overbeaten)

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Reference

BBC Food (n.d.). Preparing ramekins to cook soufflés. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/preparing_ramekins

Everyday Food (2016). Whipping Egg White To Perfect Peaks. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhuRyq7NrcA

McKenney, S. (2016, 26 January). Room Temperature Ingredients Make a Difference. sallysbakingaddiction.com. Retrieved from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-basics-room-temperature-ingredients/

Moncel, B. (2019). All About Whipping Egg Whites. thespruceeats.com. Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/all-about-whipping-egg-whites-1328681