In this short guide, we are going to answer the question “ what happens when adding an egg to bread dough?” with an in-depth analysis of making bread dough. Moreover, we will discuss what is in an egg and what is the function of eggs in baked goods.
What happens when adding an egg to bread dough?
When eggs are added to bread dough, they help to make it finer and richer, provide color and volume, and bind the ingredients together. To make bread doughs softer, only the egg yolk is sometimes included.
What’s in an egg?
A complete egg is made up of the yolk’s lipids and the white’s protein. The two work together as binders, moisturizers, thickeners, and flavor enhancers.
What is the function of eggs in baked goods?
Improves the gluten structure
In two ways, eggs improve the gluten structure. The first method is to increase the protein content of the dough. The additional protein helps the gluten in the flour create more air pockets.
The second is due to the enzyme lecithin, which is found in eggs. This emulsifier is widely used in the food sector. It enhances the gluten linkages, resulting in a more elastic dough with a stronger network that keeps its shape. Lecithin also helps the dough absorb extra fats and form a cohesive combination.
More linkages are created by adding eggs to a close-knit dough structure. When the yeast has more time to work, it produces a light and fluffy loaf. To lighten the crumb, more air and other tenderizers such as sugar and butter are added in these yeast bread recipes.
Softens the texture
The yolk of an egg has a lot of fat in it. A baker uses the yolk to tenderize the gluten strands, resulting in a moist and delicate texture.
Darkens the crust and softens it
The oven is set to a lower temperature for baking bread with eggs. This is because the addition of the additional protein speeds up the Maillard processes and caramelization. The crust will get golden brown as a result of this.
Eggs absorb heat slowly due to their fat content. The addition of eggs to a bread recipe prevents the crust from hardening.
Assists in rising
Eggs boost the gluten structure of the dough, which improves its ability to retain gas. This means it can hold more gas in less time, accelerating the increase. On their own, eggs are a leavening agent. Without baking powder, foods like souffle (and many other cakes and batters containing eggs) will rise!
Bread containing eggs can rise higher before collapsing, resulting in light and fluffy bread. Bread with egg aids yeast leavening, allowing it to rise more evenly in the oven.
Flavor of bread
The flavor of the other ingredients is flattened by lecithin, a lipid substance contained in the yolk. Its addition can give the bread a more rounded and smooth flavor. Sweet flavors associated with sugar-sweetened cakes are also produced through caramelization during the baking process.
Produces a gleaming sheen
Before baking, many bakers use an egg wash to cover the crust of their bread or pastry. This softens the crust by generating a thin barrier during baking, while also imparting a lovely golden gloss. At the same time, it repels excess moisture.
Improves the shelf life
Fatty acids lower the pH of the bread, preventing mold and other undesirable germs from growing on it. It also delays starch regeneration, or in other words, the starch stays the same, keeping the bread fresh and moist.
What does adding an egg to bread dough do?
The addition of eggs to the dough aids in its rising. Because eggs are a leavening agent, a bread dough rich in eggs will rise quite high. The lipids in the egg yolk also aid in tenderizing the crumb and lightening the texture. Lecithin, an emulsifier, is also found in eggs.
What happens if you don’t put an egg in bread?
Without eggs, items prepared with flour or a conventional baking mix will be a little more fragile, so instead of turning out a cake to serve it, you can try leaving it in the pan. Without eggs or an egg substitute, baked goods made with gluten-free ingredients or flour will not bind.
How does an extra egg affect baking?
Adding extra egg yolks to the batter allows the batter to hold more liquid and sugar because emulsifiers hold water and fat together. This results in a moister, sweeter cake that retains its form rather than becoming a gooey mass while it bakes.
Conclusion
In this short guide, we answered the question “ what happens when adding an egg to bread dough?” with an in-depth analysis of making bread dough. Moreover, we discussed what is in an egg and what is the function of eggs in baked goods.