Using Raw Eggs

Many older recipes call for raw eggs. Learn how to 'remake' these recipes for food safety reasons.

Some of my favorite recipes, including Mile High Strawberry Dessert and French Silk Chocolate Pie, use raw eggs in a no-bake recipe.

Raw eggs are a source of salmonella bacteria, which can cause serious illness, especially in the elderly, the very young, and those with compromised immune systems. Most people won't be affected by this bacteria, but I always like to be on the safe side. So I use pasteurized eggs in these recipes. See how they do it in this step by step pictorial.

There are a few differences in the recipe results when using these eggs. The volume will be slightly lower, so think about adding an additional egg white. Also, to help compensate for this, separate the eggs and let the whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating them. This will help relax the protein strands so the beaten whites will have more volume.

One more caveat: these eggs have a very stringent use-by date stamped on the package, and sometimes on each egg. After that date, do not use the eggs, even in cooked recipes.

So enjoy making old-fashioned desserts using uncooked eggs.