Out of cream of tartar? Here are five substitutes, with amounts, for whipped egg whites and for baking. Jump to the substitutes, or read what cream of tartar does first.
Here’s some useful information on cream of tartar you would find most interesting.
Cream of tartar is also called potassium acid tartrate (or potassium bitartrate). It is a by-product of the red-wine industry. The red-brown crystalline substance (argol) is scraped from the inside of the wine cask, refined, dried and grounded.
Cream of tartar is used, in very small amounts, to stabilize the white of the eggs (1/8 teaspoon per egg white) that are used to make meringues, sweets, or frosting. It ensures that the product comes out creamy. It works together with baking soda as a leavening agent in cake batters. It is also used to reduce the discoloration in vegetables (just add 1 teaspoon to the water) when boiling and is also used to make a thick paste to gently clean copper cookware.
If, for some reason you don’t have it in your pantry and you need a substitute you can make use of a number of substitutes based on what you are preparing.
Here are 5 common substitutes for cream of tartar.
- For whipping egg whites, use about equal amounts of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar in place of 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- For cookies, cakes and quick breads, use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- For baking, and only when the recipe also contains baking soda, use 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) of baking powder for every 1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) of cream of tartar. Baking powder is made up of sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid.
- For some baked recipes, use buttermilk or yogurt. A 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar can be substituted for 1/2 cup of buttermilk, using 1/2 cup of the recipe’s other liquid. A 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar can be substituted for 1/2 cup of yogurt, thinned out with milk. Adjust the other liquid in your recipe.
FAQ
What is cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar is potassium acid tartrate, also called potassium bitartrate. It is a by-product of the red-wine industry, scraped from the inside of wine casks, refined, dried and ground. It is sold ready-made.
What does it do in baking?
It stabilizes egg whites. Use 1/8 teaspoon per egg white. It also works with baking soda as a leavening agent in cake batters.
Can I use baking powder instead?
Only when the recipe also calls for baking soda. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) of baking powder for every 1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) of cream of tartar.
For more baking ideas, see Trinidad Sponge Cake, Chocolate Cookies, and Lemon Meringue Pie.
You may be wondering why I’m talking about cream of tartar, but stick around for the next post; I’ll show you one of it’s use in Trini cooking.
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Interesting, I never knew where Cream of tartar came from. I just saw my mum put it on her cake recipes. Good post.
I’ve seen cream of tartar being used in meringues but I’ve never used it and my meringues are great.
i’ve been looking for cream of tartar here in germanny but it seems that this ingredient is never used in this country. i actually wanted to do a meringue based recipe but i guess it’ll have to do without it.