Most people who don’t cook or bake often don’t know how to use certain ingredients and kitchen items. Cream of tartar could be one of the things that confuses some people. There are many ways it can be used, but first, what is it?
Cream of tartar is an acidic byproduct that is produced from the winemaking process. The substance remains in the barrels after the wine has been fermented and then turns into the white powder we all know as cream of tartar.
In the pastry chef’s kitchen, the powder is used to help activate baking soda. Baking soda is an alkaline substance that sometimes needs help working in cake mix or other sweets. In most stores you will see two different bottles; one called baking soda and one called baking powder. Did you know that baking powder already has cream of tartar in it?
The best known use of this ingredient is to beat egg whites. You will notice that once whipped, the egg white will collapse. With a dash of cream of tartar, the whipped egg white will stabilize and last longer as the thick white ingredient.
A chef will also use cream of tartar when working with hot sugar. Cooking sugar over high heat can crystallize and form unsightly lumps in the melted sugar. By adding this ingredient you interfere with that crystallization process making a smoother and more presentable substance.
Cream of tartar is an acidic powder that can be used for many other activities around the home. The acid in the powder repels ants that congregate in an area. Ants don’t like acidic liquids or objects and will often avoid areas that have that kind of potency around them.
It can also be used to remove tough stains where water is in contact with the surface. Mixing hydrogen peroxide and tartar to make a paste can be an amazing cleaning agent. Use the mixture around faucets that have been stained and on kitchen surfaces as well.
Sometimes our clothes get stained due to sweat or sunscreen, causing collars to turn yellow. Moisten the necklace with a little water using a cloth. Sprinkle some cream of tartar on the shirt and rub it into the stain. From this point on, you can toss it in the washing machine as usual.
Now you know what some of the uses of cream of tartar are and exactly what it consists of. When you run a bakery business, it’s important that you have all your ingredients available in bulk so you never run out. The best places to get large amounts of these ingredients would be a cash-and-carry wholesaler.