Separating egg whites

To separate egg whites, always separate the egg over a small bowl then put the white into your mixing bowl. It is best not to separate eggs over your main mixing bowl. This is to prevent your egg whites being contaminated by yolk. Yolk contains fat which will spoil the stiff-peak effect of egg whites.

If you are separating eggs and do get yolk in the egg white, dampen the corner of a tea towel or hand towel and dip it into the bowl. The yolk will adhere to the dampness of the towel and you will be left with just the egg whites.