You all Have this Cream of Tartar Substitute at Home

How many times have you set out to prepare a recipe you found sooo inviting and easy to prepare, but didn’t happen to have that ingredient that is crucial for leavening? Yeah, cream of tartar is one of those ingredients that you just forget about. And why would you even care to remember an ingredient whose name doesn’t even sound right? It is called cream and it is a powder, I mean come on!

The Cream of Tartar Substitute We All Have at Home

As I have already mentioned, it is more likely you’d buy or have a cream of tartar substitute somewhere around your house than the actual thing. Let’s face it, you won’t go to the store and just happen to think of buying cream of tartar, you have to go with the intention to do it. And if you forget about it, it’s ok because you are very likely to have this cream of tartar substitute in your pantry: baking powder.

Usually, recipes call for a mix of cream of tartar and baking soda to prepare the best baked goods ever. This is due to the fact that they produce carbon dioxide gas, the gas produced when adding yeast to the recipes. So, if you want to avoid using yeast, then go ahead and use a combination of these two. These two actually substitute baking powder. But the great thing is baking powder is the best cream of tartar substitute.

The important thing to remember is that if the recipe calls for both of these ingredients you should omit the baking soda altogether. Add a teaspoon of baking powder whenever a recipe calls for a lace a teaspoon of cream and tartar and baking soda.

Prepare the Best Meringue Cookies with Cream of Tartar Substitute

According to this useful blog post on cream of tartar and cream of tartar substitute, it is crucial for your baking powder not to be older than 6 months. You can check whether it is good to be used in a recipe as a cream of tartar substitute if you add a tiny bit of baking soda into hot water. If it triggers a bubbly reaction, then you can use it in your recipe without any second thoughts. The best recipe that can be made with a cream of tartar substitute is the one for meringue cookies.

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar substitute (baking powder)
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 2/3 cup of sugar

In a small bowl lace the egg whites and let them set at room temperature for around half an hour. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Add the vanilla, the baking powder and the salt to the egg whites and beat everything on medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating on high after every addition. Repeat until the sugar dissolves. Beat for around 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

To give them the cutest form ever, cut the tip off of a pastry bag and pipe a 1 and ¼ inches in diameter cookies.  Don’t forget to place parchment paper on your baking tray. Bake for around 45 minutes or until firm to touch. A crucial step is to leave the meringue cookies in the oven for an hour after you’ve turned it off. Cool the cookies completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy