What is the reason behind adding sugar to egg yolks, Mix it, and then add in hot cream ?behind adding sugar to egg yolks, Mix it, and then add in hot cream ?

[Sussan ScoolinaryTeam]

Hi Tapasya Sisodia.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community, and thank you for your question.

Could you please specify which recipe, procedure, or course you are referring to?

This way, I can review the material (recipe book) and provide you with an answer.

Best regards.

[Tapasya Sisodia]

I am reffering to course by Antonio Bachour, petits gateaux 2nd collection, recepie for equatorial dessert, manjari mousse.

[Sussan ScoolinaryTeam]

Hi Tapasya.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community, and thank you for your question!

The reason sugar is added to the egg yolks and then mixed with hot cream is to prevent the yolks from curdling or “cooking” unevenly when they come into contact with heat. This process is part of making a crème anglaise, which serves as the base for the mousse in your recipe.

Key reasons:

Protecting the yolks: Sugar coats the proteins in the yolks, helping to prevent them from curdling quickly when exposed to heat.

Smooth texture: This initial mixture ensures a creamy and smooth final texture, avoiding lumps.

Crème anglaise base: The combination of yolks, sugar, milk, and hot cream is the first step in creating a crème anglaise. It is heated to 82-85°C, just enough to thicken without curdling (which would result in lumps).

In this recipe, the crème anglaise also helps dissolve the gelatin and emulsify the chocolate, creating a rich and uniform base for the mousse. This step is crucial for achieving the perfect texture.

We hope this information is helpful.

Best regards!

[Zenobia Chacko]

Tempers the egg. Adding sugar to the egg also allows it to form a sabayon of sorts in my opinion

[Sussan ScoolinaryTeam]

Hi Zenobia.

Thank you for your comment and input.

Let us explain that sabayon (or zabaglione) is a classic pastry technique that involves emulsifying and thickening egg yolks with sugar, often incorporating an aromatic liquid like wine, liqueur, or fruit juice. This preparation is traditionally done over a bain-marie while constantly whisking to incorporate air and achieve a light, foamy texture.

In this case, the procedure indicated by Scoolinar does not involve whisking over a bain-marie or adding any liqueur. Instead, whisking yolks and sugar together and then adding hot cream or milk creates the base for a crème anglaise.

Many classic pastry preparations begin by whisking yolks and sugar, such as:

-Pâte Sablée

-Frangipane

-Bavarois, among others.

Depending on the other ingredients and the specific method used, we can determine the type of cream or technique applied.

In this case, it is a crème anglaise, which serves as the base for preparing the Manjari mousse in Chef Bachour’s course.

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out, and I’ll be happy to assist you.

Best regards!