Cream of Tartar is made from tartaric acid which is basically just a byproduct of the wine making process.
As the grape juice sits and ferments, potassium bitartrate precipitates and forms crystals on the inside of the casks which can then be collected and processed to make cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is a dry, powder-like, acidic byproduct of wine making called for in a myriad of different baking recipes (from cookies to cakes to frosting).
Grapes are a natural source of cream of tartar's main ingredient: tartaric acid (hence the “tartar” in its name).
Cream of tartar, also known as POTASSIUM BITARTRATE, is a white powder.
It is a NATURAL product made from the natural crystalline acid deposited on the walls of wine-cellar vats.
Adding a small amount of cream of tartar when you're beating egg whites—usually 1/8 teaspoon per egg white—speeds up the creation of foam and helps stabilize the structure of those miniscule air bubbles you're whipping up.
You can use 1.5 teaspoons (6 grams) of baking powder to replace 1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) of cream of tartar.
This substitution is ideal because it can be used in any recipe without modifying the taste or texture of the final product.
Potassium bitartrate, also known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, with formula KC₄H₅O₆, is a byproduct of wine making.
In cooking, it is known as cream of tartar.
It is processed from the potassium acid salt of tartaric acid.
The resulting powdery base can be used in baking or as a cleaning solution.
Cream of tartar is most commonly used to stabilize egg whites and creams as well as to prevent the formation of sugar crystals.
It is also an easy and convenient substitute for baking powder and can be found in the spice aisle at most grocery stores.
Cream of tartar is an oft-overlooked pantry staple.
The white powder helps to stabilize whipped egg whites in cakes and meringues, activate leavening like baking soda (it's often an ingredient in baking powder), and prevent sugar crystallization in caramel and candy.
Some uses for cream of tartar include.
Stabilizing egg whites in meringue.
Preventing sugar crystals in candy-making.
Adding loft to baked goods.
Adding tang to snickerdoodles.
Making fluffier whipped cream.
Retaining color in steamed and boiled vegetables.
Replacing buttermilk in a recipe.
Making homemade playdough.