Peak Performance: Soft vs. Stiff

Totally clueless when a recipe calls for egg whites with soft or stiff peaks? Here's how:

Totally clueless when a recipe calls for egg whites with soft or stiff peaks? Here’s how to tell one from the other:

You’ve reached soft-peak stage when the mixture mounds but has no shape.

Medium-peak stage is when the mixture is thicker, and stands but still bends.

You’ve reached stiff -peak stage when the mixture stands and you can turn the bowl upside-down without the mixture falling out. If you overwhip, the mixture breaks down and gets very dry and frothy, resembling bubbles you get when washing clothes.