Baking-Does egg size matter?

[mmuch]

Help. I'm baking some cookies which call for large eggs, but I have medium size (and they seem on the small size to me).....Should I use two of them or stick with one? Any pro bakers out there that might be able to help?

[Pastryrocks]

Just finished making a batch of brownies. The original recipe called for 6 Large eggs (XL in Canada) or 300g. I scaled off 6 XL eggs and the total weight was 275g. This means I was short 9g of eggs, or just over 8% of the total weight of the eggs. To my eye the eggs looked about the same size. But obviously they where short nearly 8% of there weight.

Fixing this is easy; I just added one more egg yoke and some egg white. No harm done.

Missing 8% may not sound like a lot, but depending on their function, the missing 8% can cause some issues. In the baking industry, where large recipes are used, missing 8% of anything can be dangerous. For a half sheet-pan of brownies, it’s not the end of the world. However, they would be little direr than normally. Just though some people might be interested in this.

[Pastryrocks]

Too much Xmas cheer = mistake! Should have read: I was short 25g of eggs, or just over 8% of the total weight of the eggs.

[Pastryrocks]

Egg size does matter as the above posters have said. Depending on the recipe, eggs are used for structure, moisture, and as a fat. So you need to be careful with the size and amount of egg being used.

Just because you purchased a dozen large eggs (XL in Canada) does not mean that they all weight 50 grams (30g for the whites and 20g for the yoke) each. I understand that most recipes are measured by volume or by the amount (4 eggs). Does not matter what size of egg you purchase, the eggs are not always the same size or weight. So 4 medium eggs, if they seem small, might be equal to 2-1/2 or 3 large eggs.

But depending on the use of the egg in the recipe, if your missing some liquid the cookie will be dry and crumbly, if making sponge, it will not have the volume and nice crumb if missing some egg, despite the use of chemical leaveners. If you're making custard it may not taste as rich or set firmly, despite adding some butter or the use of a starch.

Depending on the recipe you may get away with swapping med size for large eggs. In fact some people may not even notice the difference, again depending on why the egg is in the recipe.

When baking, I always weight everything. That way I know what I’m making will turn out, and it will be consistent.

[greygarious]

If you feel the mediums are unusually small, err on the side of caution and use an extra white or yolk or half of a beaten egg. I'd go with yolk before white, as the latter might make the cookies drier.

[gansu girl]

here's a great site for stuff like this:

http://www.baking911.com/pantry/eggs.htm

like Todao says, size can matter more, depending on what you're baking - I would definitely not try anything w/a cake, but if you're making chocolate chip cookies or something, you probably won't notice too much difference.

[goodhealthgourmet]

"I would definitely not try anything w/a cake"
~~~~~~
gansu_girl, what do you mean the OP shouldn't "try" anything? s/he can still use the medium eggs, it's just a matter of measuring out the equivalent volume.

[todao]

Great site gansu girl; I had forgotten about that site. I agree that it's a GREAT resource.
I suspect what you meant by "I would definitely not try anything w/a cake" means that, unless you're in a position to absorb the disappointment, you should follow cake recipes closely. I would have to agree with that. Cakes can be quite fussy and making adjustments to the published instructions can sometimes leave you with dog food. That said, the site you recommended does offer some methods for adjusting the amount of egg (how to you add half an egg?) and I might be willing to take the plunge with that model.

[gansu girl]

Yes, yes, I meant - no foolin' around subbing 2 meds. for 1 large in a cake - use the site and figure out equivalents. Cakes, pastries = unforgiving in terms of ingredient amts. "Dog food" - love it!

[todao]

Although I am not a "pro-baker", I can tell you that egg size generally doesn't matter that much, except for cakes. The size of an egg in a cake can make a big difference. The difference between a large and a medium egg is about half an ounce. Of course, if your recipe calls for 8 eggs it'll make a greater difference than if it calls for 1 egg. Here's a guide to use in making your decision:

Extra Large egg about 2.25 ounces
Large egg about 2 ounces
Medium egg about 1.75 ounces

A recipe calling for 8 large eggs ( 16 ounces) would probably develop a product closer to the author's intended results using 9 medium eggs.

[chicgail]

Can you make up the "difference" with some egg whites in a carton?

[pitu]

If anything, I think you'd want to "make up the difference" with an additional yolk. I think I just heard Madam Dorie Greenspan say on NPR, the white dries it out.