Tempering eggs

Slowly whisking a hot liquid into beaten eggs to warm them gradually, so they can be added to a hot mixture without scrambling.

Tempering eggs: Hot milk being poured in a thin stream from a saucepan into a bowl of beaten egg yolks while a whisk stirs
  • Techniques and preparation methods

Also called: tempering

Pour a small amount of the hot milk or cream into the eggs in a thin stream while whisking constantly, then pour the warmed eggs back into the pot. This raises the eggs' temperature gradually, so they thicken smoothly instead of curdling.

Tempering is used for pastry cream, custards, ice cream bases and lemon curd. The finished custard is then cooked gently, usually to about 170 to 180°F (77 to 82°C) for stirred custards.

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