What is cream of tartar?

What is it? What does it do? How do I use it? We have all the answers about the world’s most mysterious pantry staple.

Cream of tartar taste

Isn’t it odd that cream of tartar is likely a staple in every baker’s pantry, yet most of us don’t even know what it really is? I was reorganising my baking drawer when I came across a trusty container of cream of tartar and wondered, what is this even made of? And, how does it work?

So, I did a deep dive into all things ‘cream of tartar’ and what I discovered is totally not what I expected.

What is cream of tartar made from? Long answer short: grapes!

How did I not know this? We love wine for a variety of reasons; it’s great for cooking, great for drinking, and some even use it as disinfectant. But I never knew it’s where cream of tartar comes from – mind blown.

A byproduct of wine-making, cream of tartar is a dry, powder-like, acidic sediment that is left behind during fermentation. Although derived from the winemaking process, it’s all thanks to grapes that cream of tartar exists. This is because they’re a natural source of tartaric acid, which is its primary ingredient.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar?

You may be familiar with cream of tartar if you’ve made pavlovas, meringues, and even some cakes and cookies. But the real question is: what does it do?

Recipe developer and food writer Alison Adams explains: “It actually speeds up the formation of bubbles in a liquid, creating a stable, yet aerated consistency. It also prevents the crystallisation of egg whites and sugar in the mixing process. In the instance that you’re making a meringue or a pavlova, cream of tartar helps stop the egg proteins from sticking together, to create stabilised air pockets.” This means it helps create those sky-high, melt-in-your-mouth meringues.

What can I substitute for cream of tartar?

Since cream of tartar contains acidity, a great replacement is lemon juice. Alison tells me that “typically, the equivalent to half a teaspoon of cream of tartar is one teaspoon of lemon juice”.

Is cream of tartar the same as baking soda?

Even though they’re similar in colour, consistency and packaging, baking soda and cream of tartar are totally different ingredients.

Baking soda is alkaline and commonly used in recipes that mix moisture plus an acidic ingredient (such as lemon juice, chocolate, buttermilk or honey) together to make batter rise.

Read all about the difference between baking soda, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda here. Looks like I’m about to get my mind blown again…

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Originally published as What is cream of tartar?