What the heck is 'cream of tartar' anyway ?

[KurtNYC]

I'm new to baking but with this weather it seemed like the time to start. I just made my second batch of scones and I used cream of tartar in place of some of the baking soda -- much better taste and they rose and browned nicely. The first batch was with only baking soda and the soda dominated the taste.

I had resisted using cream of tartar because the name is kind of off-putting, I didn't have any in the pantry and it is $5 for that little tiny 1oz container but it really works well. Delicious scones with little butter bombs in them (and one with chocolate chips just for fun).

Do I dare go find out what it really is?

[eShirl]

1. potassium bitartrate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_bitartrate


"Cream of tartar is the powdered form of tartaric acid, a substance that forms at the bottom of barrels when making wine."
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/makeyourowningredients/qt/Cream-Of-Tartar-Substitute.htm

[Walk away]

2. In baking it is mostly used as a stabilizer...

I use it to help keep meringue from collapsing. While you get a beautiful Lemon Meringue pie with a fluffy top, the trade off is a "boric" taste if you use too much. If you live in a humid climate and need it to get the right outcome when you're baking, you have to strike a balance between taste and height. Adding a little lemon zest to your egg white will make it taste better.

[mockmonkey]

3. I don't know

I do know what "Cream of Jar Jar" is and you really don't want to know what that is.

[pokerfan]

4. 8 Things to Know About Cream of Tartar

1. Cream of Tarter is actually a white, odorless powder. You can find it conveniently packaged in the spices section of your local supermarket.

2. The chemical name for cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate, or potassium hydrogen tartrate. We’ll get to the potassium in a minute.

3. Cream of tartar is natural, and is formed from the sediment left over in barrels after the winemaking process. They’ve found cream of tartar in ancient pottery dating back 7000 years!

4. Cream of tartar has multiple uses in food preparation including stabilizing egg whites by increasing their heat tolerance and volume, and preventing sugary syrups, chocolates and candies from crystallizing.

More: http://blog.fooducate.com/2011/01/11/8-things-to-know-about-cream-of-tartar/