The Effects of Using Egg Yolk and Whole Egg in Making Leche Flan

The effect of using egg yolk and whole eggs in making leche flan

ABSTRACT

The effect of using pure egg yolk and whole eggs was determined by conducting an experiment using two set up. Both set up used molder as a container and each used ½ cup sugar which is heated to caramelize, then two separate bowl is obtained and used to mix 6oz. evaporated milk and ½ cup sugar. One is added with 4pc. Slightly beaten whole egg, while the other bowl is added with 6pc. Slightly beaten egg yolk. Both are strained using a strainer and then an additional ¼ t vanilla flavoring is added before pouring the mixtures into designated two separate molds. Both two mixtures in the two separate molds are steamed for at least 15 minutes at simmering temperature afterwards it was placed in a dinner plate and observed. Observation showed that the set up with whole egg resulted to more firm and stiffer consistency but lacks flavor and results to lighter shade of yellow compared to using pure egg yolk. thus in making  leche flan pure egg yolk yields a more quality leche flan when it comes to appearance and flavor than using the whole egg.

INTRODUCTION

        Leche flan is a custard dessert and one of Filipinos favorite dessert, in fact it is not only known in the Philippines but throughout the world. A high grade quality Leche flan especially its firmness depends highly on the proportion of egg yolk and egg whites used (Chef Clark). Some prominent chefs in France like Tamami Haga uses pure yolks in making leche flan. She stated that, not including egg whites makes the dessert extra-rich, and flavorful yet soft and delicate.

“Coagulation indicates a change from a fluid to a solid or semisolid (gel) state. The success of many cooked foods depends on the coagulative properties of proteins, particularly the irreversible coagulative properties of egg proteins. The property is one of the egg’s most important functional benefits for food formulators, as it enables eggs to bind foods together, thicken applications, such as custards, omelets and puddings or positively benefit the crumb and structure of baked goods, such as cakes and cookies.”

(American Egg Board)

        Leche flan which is a Filipino term is also called crème caramel which originated from Europe where it is widely served in restaurants, in the later part of 20th century because it is convenient to make and can be stored until needed. A quality leche flan must be firm but tender, golden yellow brown hue, glossy, and must be sweet and flavorful. Leche flan formation is also affected by other factors such as procedures of cooking, ingredients used, temperature and freshness of eggs.

        Eggs are laid by female animals and some have been eaten by man for thousands of years. The eggs to be used in this study is chicken egg which is the most commonly consumed eggs in the world and composed of eggshell, albumen which is the egg whites and vitellus which is the egg yolk contained within various thin membranes. Eggs has a lot of function specifically in culinary purposes such as binding cakes, thickening sauces and soups, clarifying stocks and soups, emulsifier due to lecithin and as well as tickening agent. The study aims to determine the effect of using an egg yolk and egg whites in making a quality leche flan while other ingredients such as evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla and sugar are held constant.

The experiment was conducted at Food Lab, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, February 28, 2017.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two set up is used in the leche flan experiment. Both set up used molder as a container and each molder used ½ cup sugar which is heated to caramelize, then two separate bowl is obtained and used to mix 6oz. evaporated milk and ½ cup sugar. In the two separate bowl earlier mentioned one is added with 4pc. Slightly beaten whole egg, while the other bowl is added with 6pc. Slightly beaten egg yolk. Both bowls are mixed well but cautiously to avoid formation of foams. Both are strained using a strainer and then an additional ¼ t vanilla flavoring is added to the two separate bowls before pouring the mixture into designated two separate molds. Both two mixtures in the two separate molds are steamed for at least 15 minutes at simmering temperature until the leche flan is formed. After the leche flan is formed and cooked it is placed in a dinner plate. The appearance, texture, and flavor of the leche flan is observed and analyzed.