How to Make and Use Egg Wash

Egg wash is a mixture of beaten egg and liquid (usually water or milk) that is brushed onto baked goods like pastries before baking. It adds shine and color and helps to seal up edges. When recipes or cooking directions call for egg wash, knowing why and how to use it will help you get the best results.

Basic Egg Wash Recipe

Use the following procedure to make an egg wash:

1. Crack an egg into a bowl and beat it thoroughly with a fork.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Stir until combined.
3. Brush the egg wash onto the surface of your item. 

You can use less liquid for a darker egg wash, or substitute milk or cream for the water. Some people use pure egg without bothering to add any liquid. This will produce a very dark shine that can be a little difficult to spread evenly.

Egg wash can be used on other foods besides pastry. For example, duchess potatoes are usually brushed with egg wash before baking. When deciding whether to use egg wash, it's helpful to know what the mixture is good for.

For Color

The storybook glaze on the surface of a pie crust was probably created by brushing egg wash on it just before baking. Egg wash helps give a golden brown sheen to soft bread like dinner rolls, Danish pastry, cinnamon rolls, brioche, and challah.

For Structure

Egg wash can also be used as a sort of glue to secure two edges of pastry together, as when making filled pastries, double-crust pies, empanadas, or en croûte (in crust) recipes. This works because the protein in the egg coagulates when it's cooked, forming a stiff bond.

If you're sprinkling your pastry or bread with sugar or spices, brushing it with egg wash first will help the granules stick to the surface instead of spilling off.

Drawbacks

The nature of egg wash to stick things together has its dangers. You need to be careful with egg wash when you're working with puff pastry, for example, because if it drips onto the edges of the pastry, it can glue the layers together, thus preventing the pastry from puffing while it bakes.

Egg wash is made with raw egg, and as such it carries a risk of transmitting salmonella. Baking will kill the bacteria, and your item will be safe, but you should never apply egg wash to an item that will not be baked. The dishes and brush used for making and applying egg wash must be thoroughly cleaned before being used for other food preparation tasks.

Safety and Cleanup

You need to wash your pastry brush with cold water immediately after applying an egg wash, as hot water will coagulate the egg wash, and the bristles will stick together. This is particularly a problem if your brush is made with natural bristles. After the cold water rinse, you can wash and sanitize the brush in hot water. A silicone pastry brush is preferable for applying egg wash. It is easier to clean, the bristles won't become glued together, and the silicone bristles don't absorb odors or fats the way natural bristles do.

As mentioned above, egg wash—and raw egg in any form—carries the possibility of salmonella, so special attention should be paid to cross-contamination and cleanup.