Not in the shell — the contents expand and crack it. Out of the shell,
whites and yolks behave in almost opposite ways, and knowing which is which saves a batch.
Whites against yolks
| Whites | Yolks | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs an additive | No | Yes, always |
| Without it | Nothing changes | Sets into a gel that will not mix |
| Keeps | up to 12 months | up to 6 months |
| Whips afterwards | Yes, as well as fresh | — |
| Goes into | Meringue, sponge, icing | Custard, sauces, pastry |
Whites: the easiest thing in the freezer
Egg white does not change at all. It whips as well as fresh — sometimes better,
because it thins slightly.
Pour into an ice cube tray, one white per compartment, freeze, bag.
Label the count: in three months you will not tell twelve whites from
eight by looking. This is the best possible answer to what is left after making custard.
Yolks: one pinch decides it
A plain yolk freezes into a thick, gluey gel that will not disperse again.
It is not spoilage — it is an irreversible change to the protein.
Preventing it is trivial: per four yolks, a pinch of salt for savoury use
or a teaspoon of sugar for baking. Stir with a fork, portion, freeze.
And label which one you added — salted yolks in a custard would be a bad surprise.
Whole eggs sit in between
Crack, beat lightly with a fork — do not whip air in — add a pinch of salt or sugar,
and freeze. One ice cube compartment holds roughly one egg, which makes measuring easy later.
Six months.
And boiled eggs are simply out
The white turns rubbery and weeps. This is one of the few outright prohibitions
in freezing.
Thaw everything else overnight in the fridge, use within a day, and only in dishes
that will be cooked through.
Worth reading next:
Why egg whites will not whip ·
Why meringue weeps ·
Can you freeze butter ·
Why meringue turns yellow