Glossy Soft Peaks and Stiff Peaks At the
“soft peak” stage, when glossy foam edges
retain some shape but droop, and when the
foam doesn’t yet cling to the bowl, the
somewhat coarse bubbles are still lubricated
by plenty of liquid, which would quickly drain
to the bottom of the bowl. At the “stiff peak”
stage, where the foam is still glossy but now
retains a well-defined edge and clings to the
bowl, the foam is approaching 90% air, and
the egg liquid has been spread so thin that the
protein webs in adjacent bubble walls begin to
catch on each other and on the bowl surface.
There’s just enough lubrication left for the
foam to be creamy and easily mixed with
other ingredients. This stage, or perhaps just
before it, is the optimum for making mousses,
soufflés, sponge cakes, and similar dishes that
involve mixing and further rising in the oven.
Further beating gains little additional volume.
Dry Peaks and Beyond Just past the stiff-