Tempering

You know how some people like to dive headfirst into a pool, and others like to inch their way into the water one toe at a time? If pastry were a swimmer, it would be in the latter group. Pastry is all about patience, and when combining two ingredients of different temperatures or textures, it’s important to introduce one into the other gently, via a method called tempering. This is when you whisk a little bit of hot liquid into a cold mixture, then whisk in a little more and a little more, until the two are completely combined. A gradual approach is especially important when you are whisking hot liquid into raw eggs. If the eggs are not properly tempered, the hot liquid will cook them, making your final product uncomfortably reminiscent of scrambled eggs. Another example of tempering is when you gently fold a little bit of a light whipped mixture into a stiffer mixture to lighten the latter, and then add the rest of the lighter mixture. Add too much all at once and the lightness will be lost; tempering helps you preserve as much air as possible.