Define Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar often appears in recipes for baked goods such as cookies and meringues. But what is cream of tartar and what role does it play in baking?

Definition

The technical name of cream of tartar is potassium hydrogen tartrate, which is an acid salt. It is a fine, white powder that has several uses.

How Cream of Tartar Forms

Cream of tartar is created during wine making. Tartaric acid occurs naturally in grapes and during fermentation, it mixes with potassium hydroxide to create a white powder that lines the wine barrels and acts as a preservative.

Baking Powder

Cream of tartar is often mixed with baking soda to create baking powder, which, when moisture is added to a recipe, will act as a leavening agent.

Other Uses in Baking

Cream of tartar is also occasionally added to egg whites when making meringues to help stabilize them. It can be added to sugar syrups, candies and frostings to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.

Household Use

Cream of tartar can be mixed with vinegar or lemon juice to clean copper pots and pans. It is also effective at removing grime and rust from other cookware and can clean countertops and remove laundry stains.

References

• What is Cream of Tartar?
• Cream of Tartar