Mayonnaise is made from egg, oil, and an acid, usually vinegar or lemon juice. What brings these ingredients together into one smooth mixture is the egg, especially the yolk. Egg yolk contains lecithin, an emulsifier that helps oil and water combine into a smooth, stable texture.
Why does egg yolk make mayonnaise smooth and uniform?
An emulsifier is a substance that keeps food stable and stops it from separating. Foods use many kinds of emulsifiers, but in mayonnaise the main one is egg yolk, so egg yolk is technically called an emulsifying agent.
The mayonnaise we eat every day is an emulsion: a food in which oil and water stay combined. Well-made mayonnaise is therefore uniform, smooth, glossy, and stable.
What do you need to make mayonnaise at home?
You can use ingredients you already have at home:
- 1 large egg (yolk only)
- ½ tablespoon water
- 1 cup vegetable oil, such as soybean, olive, or canola oil
- ½ lime
- Salt, to taste
How do you make mayonnaise yourself?
- Separate the egg white from the yolk and use only the yolk.
- Whisk the yolk with ½ tablespoon of water.
- Keep stirring until the mixture comes together and the yolk thickens.
- While stirring, slowly drizzle in the oil until you have used the whole cup. If the mayonnaise gets too thick, add a little water.
- Add the juice of half a lime.
- Add salt and season to taste.
Homemade mayonnaise uses raw egg yolk, so use fresh eggs, keep it in the refrigerator, and finish it quickly. Take care when eating foods that contain raw egg.
How do you keep homemade mayonnaise from separating?
1. Don't add the oil too fast
Mayonnaise is an emulsion, so the water and oil need to come together gradually. Start with ingredients at room temperature, mix the yolk with lime juice or vinegar, add salt, and add mustard for extra flavor if you like (some recipes add these after the yolk and oil are combined). Then add the oil a little at a time while stirring constantly. Never pour it in all at once.
2. Separated mayonnaise can still be fixed
If oil separates out, it means the fat has split from the protein. To fix it, put a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl, then slowly add the separated mayonnaise a little at a time, whisking until it becomes smooth again.
Don't want to make it yourself? Which ready-made mayonnaise should you use?
If you use mayonnaise regularly on bread, in salads, or in sauces, ready-made mayonnaise gives you the same taste and texture every time. Pure Foods offersPure Mayonnaise 850 g andFresh & Green All-Purpose Mayonnaise 800 g See all varieties atPure Foods Mayonnaise (Allergen information: mayonnaise contains egg. See the label of each variety for details.)
Summary
Mayonnaise is made from egg yolk, oil, and an acid such as vinegar or lime juice. The yolk is what brings everything together into one smooth mixture. You can make it yourself if you add the oil slowly, or ask about wholesale mayonnaise prices via LINE @purefoods.
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