What Does It Mean to Temper Eggs?
Temper: To slowly bring eggs or another delicate ingredient up to the temperature of a hot liquid by adding the hot liquid a little at a time while whisking, so the eggs do not scramble.
In the kitchen
Add a ladle of the hot mixture to the eggs while whisking constantly, then another, and only then pour the warmed eggs back into the pot. The gradual heating stops the egg proteins from setting into lumps.
This is the step that keeps avgolemono silky, custards smooth and lemon fillings free of scrambled bits. If you still see small lumps, strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
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