Eggs as Thickeners and Emulsifiers

Eggs can be used in a variety of ways to contribute to texture in food. They can thicken, emulsify, and create foams. In many cases, the eggs fulfill several of these functions at the same time.

In principle, a raw egg yolk is an emulsion of fat in a large quantity of water, and the proteins and phospholipids (lecithin) function as emulsifiers in such foods as hollandaise sauce and mayonnaise.

About half of the egg yolk is made up of water and its fantastic ability to bind water is exploited in crème anglaise. To prepare it, scalded milk and cream are allowed to cool and then mixed with egg yolks and sugar. The mixture is then heated gently until the desired consistency has been achieved.