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cream of tartar

cream of tartar

1 3.7
A white powder used in baking to keep egg whites and sugar stable
  • noun
  • /kriːm əv ˈtɑːrtər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cremor tártaro
  • In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and cream of tartar until combined.
  • egg whites and cream of tartar
  • baking soda and cream of tartar
  • sugar and cream of tartar

So this says that it smells like sweet pear and creamy banana, and it also has lemon oil and cream of tartar to build frothy bubbles.

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Examples

  • It's egg white, sugar, cream of tartar and some salt and we're going to put that on our little ice cream.

  • We just added cream of tartar to baking powder.

    Blog text (14)
  • Add the cream of tartar, and continue to beat.

    Blog text (12)
  • I will add cream of tartar and skip the salt.

    Blog text (14)
  • I need to have 1 part baking soda and 2 parts of cream of tartar.

    Blog text (14)
  • If your problem is being out of baking powder, you can make your own using baking soda and cream of tartar.

    Blog text (14)
  • Cream of tartar is used to increase the acidity of a mixture.

    Blog text (14)
  • Beat the egg whites, 1/3 cup sugar, and cream of tartar until they form stiff, glossy peaks.

    Blog text (24)
  • Combine the egg whites, cold water, cream of tartar, vanilla, almond extracts, and salt.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • In a recipe, add cream of tartar to stabilize the whipped egg whites.

Synonyms

tartar
vscream of tartar
  • Specialized
10 6.3

A white powder used in baking to help cakes rise

is the specific cooking name more exact than this broader label
potassium bitartrate
vscream of tartar
  • Specialized
5.2

A white powder that helps egg whites keep their shape and improves texture of baked goods

is the common cooking name rather than the technical chemical label
potassium hydrogen tartrate
vscream of tartar
  • Specialized
5.1

A white powder used in baking to make cakes rise and keep egg whites stable

is the everyday kitchen name instead of the formal chemical term

Surface Forms

Morphology

cream + of + tartar

The phrase denotes a product derived from 'tartar' (the potassium bitartrate used in baking) and the 'cream of' construction here signals a particular processed/refined form of that substance, so the overall meaning can be deduced from the constituents. Although 'cream' might misleadingly evoke a dairy product, the link to the known constituent 'tartar' is direct and this lexicalization is similar cross-linguistically, making it accessible to learners who know the parts.

Etymology

Cream of tartar may come from making wine: when wine sits a white, dusty crust forms inside the barrels and wine makers called that crust tartar and the fine white part cream. So, the name cream of tartar came to mean the white powder cooks use in baking to help egg whites whip and to stop sugar forming hard crystals.