Instructions: To obtain perfect stiffly beaten egg whites use only immaculately clean utensils free from any trace of grease or fat; rinse them in cold water and dry thoroughly before using. Make sure that there is no trace of yolk in the whites. If they are very fresh add a pinch of salt to break them down. Start by beating the whites at medium speed to make them frothy and absorb as much air as possible then increase the speed to firm them up.

When flecks of beaten egg appear at the edges of the bbwl add a little sugar to prevent the whites from becoming giainy. They will then be firmer which will make them easier to mix and handle. In other words use salt for s3vourv and sugar for sweet souffles. Frozen egg whites give the best results in making souffles.

durable glazes for puff pastry:
(eg apple tumbvers Pithiviers galefus dartois bands etc.) Sprinkle the pastry with icing sugar at the end of cooking and put into a hot oven for a few seconds to obtain a vamishlike glaze. If you use a sugar syrup to glaze use the pastry within a few hours as the sugar will recrystallize and the glaze will become dull and pale.

to cook sugar
It is very important to dissolve the sugar completely in water without stirring Wore cooking otherwise it may form lumps caramelize or become grainy.

confectioners almons paste or marzipan:
If it is too Crumbly Or too hard soften with fondant or glucose.

fondant:
When you heat it add a little syrup at 30deg Baume (1262 density) together with a small amount of glucose. his will soften the fondant and give it a beautiful shine. Never add uncooked egg white as the fondant may ferment and cause bacteria to breed.

to make nougatine
If the atmosphere is humid add 50g (2oz) butter or fat for each kg (21b 4oz) sugar immediately after mixing in the almonds. This will prevent the nougatine from sweating

Never wash omelette or crepe pans; wipe them clean with newspaper or a cloth. If food is stuck to the pan heat it and rub with a handful of coarse salt newspaper or a cloth.

Fresh breadcrumbs take only 10 minutes to make: cut off the crusts from a piece of halfstale white bread; dice the bread add a spoonful of flour and process in a food processor or place in a cloth. Gather up the edges of the cloth and crush the bread with the palm of your hand. When it has crumbled rub through a medium mesh sieve or sifter.

Always add pepper at the end of cooking so that it retains its full flavour.

When adding salt to hot fish meat or poultry aspics always add more than you think is necesury; the salt will lose much of its strength as the liquid cools.

A small spoon placed in the neck of a halfdrunk bottle of Champagne will act as a cork and the Champagne will remain in perfect condition.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.