What is Cream of Tartar?

Have you ever read about Cream of Tartar in a recipe and had no idea what it was? You’re not alone! That’s why we’ve put together all the facts you need to know and show you 5 alternatives to Cream of Tartar.

What is Cream of Tartar?

Cream of Tartar is sold under this name primarily in the US and UK. Here in Germany it is better known as Weinstein. It is a white crystalline powder.

Tartar is the common name for the chemical substance potassium bitartrate and is a by-product of the production of wine. It is a salt of tartaric acid, giving it acidic properties comparable to lemon or vinegar.

Already knew?

You’ve probably come across a wine bottle or two with tartar crystals on the bottom. You should therefore always pour the wine slowly so that the cream of tartar does not fall out of the bottle and into the glass.

However, cream of tartar is not a sign of poor wine quality, but the natural product of the fruit acid and the minerals in the wine. It also doesn’t affect the taste in any way, it just causes an unpleasant, sand-like feeling in the mouth.

Use

Since cream of tartar is harmless to human health, it is also often used in the kitchen for cooking and baking.

Stabilizer

The inconspicuous powder can increase the volume or improve the stability of egg whites, soufflés, and cream. If your beaten egg whites don’t set, Cream of Tartar is the quick rescue. It can also be extremely useful when making delicious meringue. The treat, also known as meringue or meringue, becomes velvety smooth and even more stable thanks to the use of cream of tartar. It ensures that the proteins in the egg white do not clump together, resulting in a smooth and firmer structure. The rule of thumb for the perfect meringue is 1/8 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar per egg white.

Leavening agent

Furthermore, cream of tartar is used as a natural leavening agent and ensures that cakes, bread, and pizza dough rise evenly. In the supermarket, you can now also buy cream of tartar, which is easier on the stomach than normal baking powder. This is due to the use of phosphate instead of cream of tartar as the acidifying agent. In addition, cream of tartar has no taste of its own and therefore does not falsify the taste of the pastry.

Tip: You can also easily make cream of tartar at home. All you have to do is mix one part baking soda with two parts Cream of Tartar and one part cornstarch (as a release agent). The use of cornstarch also makes cream of tartar a gluten-free alternative to regular baking powder.

Other uses

Adding a little Cream of Tartar to your cooking water will help your veggies retain their fresh color even more. It also ensures the reduction of large sugar crystals, which is why cream of tartar is also often used in the production of homemade caramel, candy, or syrup.

Buy Cream of Tartar

You can now find Cream of Tartar in well-stocked supermarkets here in Germany in the baking department. You can also buy cream of tartar at any pharmacy or in some health food stores.

Alternatives

If you can’t find the cream of tartar in the depths of your closet or supermarket, don’t despair! You can also replace it with other items that you’re more likely to have in your kitchen. However, it depends on the purpose of the powder in your recipe.

Lemon juice/ white wine vinegar/ vinegar essence

Lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or vinegar essence can also be used as a substitute to stabilize egg whites or to prevent the formation of large sugar crystals. To obtain the same leavening properties, a Cream of tartar should be replaced with twice the amount of lemon juice or vinegar. The only disadvantage of this exchange is that both ingredients have significantly more taste of their own.

Citric acid

You can also replace a Cream of tartar one-to-one with citric acid powder in your recipes. When using liquid citric acid, you should substitute 1 part cream of tartar for 2 parts citric acid, since the liquid isn’t as concentrated as the powder. The acidity of the lemon has the same effect on beaten egg whites and the like as cream of tartar. You can also use citric acid in combination with baking soda as a raising agent (see tip above).

Baking powder

You can of course use normal baking powder as a substitute for Cream of Tartar, which is used as a raising agent in the recipe. This substitute is optimal as it requires no further modification to your recipe.