Cream of Tartar: What It Is and How to Use It (2024)

FAQs

Cream of Tartar: What It Is and How to Use It? ›

Cream of tartar is a white powder found in the baking aisle that is commonly used to help stabilize whipped egg whites in meringues and cakes and give snickerdoodle cookies their signature flavor and texture. It's made from tartaric acid, a byproduct of the winemaking process.

Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.

Even though they're similar in colour, consistency and packaging, baking soda and cream of tartar are totally different ingredients. Baking soda is alkaline and commonly used in recipes that mix moisture plus an acidic ingredient (such as lemon juice, chocolate, buttermilk or honey) together to make batter rise.

Cream of tartar's most important side effect is the risk of hyperkalemia — or excessive potassium levels in your blood — due to its high potassium content ( 10 ).

The most common recipes that call for cream of tartar are those that call for egg whites to be whipped, like angel food cake, genoise cake, meringue, and macarons. Jampel says that is because cream of tartar works as an egg white stabilizer that increases both the volume and shelf life of the meringue.

Adding a little bit of cream of tartar to water lowers the pH of the water. Also, it helps the vegetables you're steaming retain their colour. The formation of crunchy sugar crystals makes candy making hard. Adding cream of tartar helps keep the crystals small.

Cream of tartar does not expire so long as you store it in a cool and dry space. When in doubt, check for a powdery, white appearance and a slightly acidic smell. Discard your cream of tartar if it has become discolored or if it has a strong smell.

As grape juice sits and ferments, potassium bitartrate precipitates and forms crystals on the inside of the casks which can then be collected and processed to make cream of tartar. Cream of tartar has a slightly tangy, acidic flavor, but it's not typically used in large enough quantities to impact the flavor of dishes.

Achieving a good rise is essential for light and airy bread. Cream of tartar acts as a natural leavening agent when combined with baking soda. When the cream of tartar reacts with baking soda and moisture in the dough, carbon dioxide gas is released, causing the bread to rise.

Is cream of tartar good for you? ›

Cream of Tartar Benefits

It's known for treating arthritis, combatting heartburn and even clearing up acne-prone skin. The alkaline in cream of tartar can also prevent and treat bacterial infections, help to lower your blood pressure and, of course, it tastes great in any baked good.

It adds tang to snickerdoodles, stabilizes egg whites for fluffy angel food cakes and light-as-air meringues, and prevents sugar from crystallizing for smooth syrups and chewy cookies. Cream of tartar is incredibly versatile and is an absolute must-have for all bakers, no matter their skillset.

“When you take cream of tartar and you mix that with vinegar, or even lemon juice, you get what's called tartaric acid and that actually can be used to clean porcelain, aluminum, and copper and brass as well,” says Chem Thug.

Using Cream of Tartar

Spread it on the rust-stained areas of your toilet. Use a nylon bristle brush to scrub the areas. From time to time, sprinkle some cream of tartar in your toilet bowl and let it sit overnight to prevent rust buildup. One of the best cleaning tools you can have is an old toothbrush.

Clean your bathroom grout

Just create a thick paste using cream of tartar and white vinegar, and apply to your grout using an old toothbrush. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then wipe clean. Mold and mildew be gone!

Cream of tartar does not expire so long as you store it in a cool and dry space. When in doubt, check for a powdery, white appearance and a slightly acidic smell. Discard your cream of tartar if it has become discolored or if it has a strong smell.

A frosting without crystalized sugar is a lot creamier, and any batter or meringue with stabilized egg whites yields a fluffier end result, The Spruce Eats explains. Without cream of tartar, you'll get the same baked good in the end, but the consistency may not be as flawless.