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Light and airy
Also searched as: volume, mousse, foamy, light
In short: Airy means: a lot of air is beaten in and held, through whisked egg whites, whipped cream or creamed butter.
Picture it
Like clouds: almost nothing but air, yet they keep their shape.
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What Light and airy means
Air beaten in mechanically needs a shell to hold it: protein, fat or gelatine. If the shell is weighed down too much or worked too long, the air escapes again.
What happens
Creaming butter and sugar traps tiny air bubbles, which baking powder later enlarges. Whisked egg whites and cream carry mousse and sponge.
Rules of thumb
- Butter for creaming should be soft but not melted.
- Whip cream well chilled.
- Loosen heavy mixtures with a little foam first, then fold in the rest.
Related entries
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Kuchen, Gebäck, Zucker