Name _________________________
Types of
Emulsions:
Hollandaise
Mayonnaise
Milk &
Cream
What is an Emulsion?
Fat-dispersed
Emulsion
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+
=
Emulsion Definition:
Types:
Vinaigrettes
Whole
Butter
Water-dispersed
Emulsion
=
+
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In Contrast:
+
Vinaigrettes
Common Culinary
Emulsions
Egg Based:
Hollandaise
Mayonnaise
Aioli
=
Alcohol and Water
Solution
Alcohol and water
can never form an
emulsion because
they freely mix
together
Cosmetic
Creams
Common NonCulinary
Emulsions
Floor and
Furniture
Wax
Understanding Emulsions & How They Work
Surface Tension Definition: Two
substances do not like each other so
they will touch as little as possible.
A fat dispersed in water: “Mayonnaise”
Water
“The Container”
Continuous Phase
Examples:
Water
Egg Yolk
Vinegar
Lemon Juice
+
Fat
“The Contained”
Emulsified State
+
Shearing Power
“Shaking Force”
Size .001-.0001
mm across
Dispersed Phase
Example:
Oil
1 Tablespoon of
oil can be
broken up into
30 billion
droplets just
using a whisk
The more fat incorporated, the
thicker an emulsion will become
Fat will eventually pool and
recreate surface tension.
Smaller fat particles =
more stable emulsion
and higher possible fat
content
The fat will float to the top and
“coalesce”.
For most applications, the
volume of the dispersed phase
shouldn’t exceed 3x the volume
of the continuous phase.
In the culinary world, this is
known as “___________________”
Emulsions by nature, are
basically ___________________
To prevent this, you need an
emulsifying agent, or stabilizer
How Emulsifiers & Stabilizers Work
Emulsifiers “Emulsifying Agents”:
Links fat & water together
Stabilizers:
Get in the way of a dispersed phase
1. _______________________________
Example: Casein – Milk protein
Large
Molecule
Example Large Molecules:
Fat friendly and water friendly receptors on
an amino acid chain link fat and water
Hydrophilic: Dissolves in water
Hydrophobic: Repels water
2. Phospholipids – Lecithin
Surfactants: A water soluble head and a fat
soluble tail link water and oil together and
decrease surface tension
Common Surfactants:
 Egg Yolks – Contain Lecithin and Proteins
 Milk & Cream – Casein protein
 Mustard – Mucilage in seed coating
Function of Stabilizers:
 Add viscosity
 A thicker continuous phase creates
more drag on the dispersion phase,
increasing shearing force and
decreasing particle size
The Emulsification Process
Step 1: Start with your equipment: metal bowl, wire whisk (shearing power), egg yolk(s)
and lemon juice.
Step 2: Whisk the yolks and the acid (in many cases, yolks are considered the water
phase). Egg yolks are special. They are the water and the emulsifying agent. This is known
as the “Continuous Phase”. The egg yolk is the “container”.
Step 3: Slowly add, drop by drop, oil and whisk vigorously. The fat will break up into small
particles. This is known as the “Dispersed Phase”.
Step 4: Add new fat droplets and they will bump into the other fat droplets, breaking into
even, smaller particles.
Fat can be added more quickly when
the emulsion becomes more stable.
Resource: Stella Culinary – www.stellaculinary.com