Aeration Whites

Soft peak When you turn the whisk upside down the peaks should just be starting to hold. The mix has a soft texture and the peak will fall back into the mixture after a second.

Stiff peak When the whisk is held upside down, the peaks should point straight up without collapsing. The mix is thick and heavy in texture.

One to watch: over whipping/under whipping Both over and under whipped egg whites are unstable. After the stiff peak stage, egg whites will start to become grainy and dull. This is caused as the proteins break down and separate. When over beaten, the whisked egg whites will eventually collapse back on themselves as they have nothing to support them. If the egg whites have been under whipped, proteins are not fully denatured forming a strong network; the whites will break down.