Egg white in cocktails: dry shake, foam and safety

How to get a dense, silky foam on a sour, the dry-shake and reverse-dry-shake methods, aquafaba, and raw-egg safety.

Egg white has almost no taste. It adds a silky texture and a thick white cap, and softens sharp citrus. The Pisco Sour, Clover Club, Ramos Gin Fizz and many whiskey sours use it.

Methods

1. Dry shake: shake all the ingredients without ice for 10 to 15 seconds to whip the white, then add ice and shake again to chill.
2. Reverse dry shake: shake with ice first, strain the drink back into the empty tin, discard the ice and shake again without it. Many bartenders find this gives a denser foam.

Either way, double strain into a chilled glass and let it settle for a few seconds. Aromatic bitters dotted on the foam (as on a Pisco Sour) add aroma with every sip.

Without eggs

Aquafaba, the liquid from a tin of chickpeas, foams almost as well: use about 25 ml in place of one egg white. It suits vegans and anyone avoiding egg.

Safety

Raw egg carries a small risk of salmonella. Use fresh eggs that have been stored cold, and choose pasteurised egg white from a carton (or aquafaba) for anyone pregnant, very young, elderly or with a weakened immune system. In the UK, eggs bearing the British Lion mark are considered safe to eat raw for most people.