How to fix sour taste from Cream of Tartar?

I made some tapioca using "granulated tapioca" (Minute brand), milk, sugar, vanilla extract, an egg yolk, and an egg white beat with sugar and cream of tartar. I'd accidentally used too much cream of Tartar and now my tapioca tastes a little bit sour. How can neutralize/mask that taste? If I can't, what can I mix in to the tapioca to work with the tartness?

Jasmyn
  • Posted by: Jasmyn
  • June 18, 2015
  • 39222 views
  • 5 Comments

5 Comments

boulangere June 18, 2015
A pinch of salt or a few drops of vinegar (white, usually) will achieve the same results as cream of tartar, also know as tartaric acid. CoT is an acid added (have you ever removed the cork from a bottle of wine to see a few crystals clinging to it? That's tartaric acid, or cream of tartar) to egg whites to encourage their strong protein molecules (ovalbumen) to relax and whip up to a gorgeous softness. Depending upon the quantity of your egg whites, I'm thinking that about 1/8 teaspoon of either salt or white vinegar will be just right. After the fact, however, the best you can hope for is to neutralize the excess acid with a bit of baking soda, which will likely compromise the texture, while still making your dessert more palatable.
 
boulangere June 18, 2015
I had another thought. In addition to adding a pinch of baking soda, also add a half- to a full teaspoon of vanilla extract, which tends to elevate the brain's perception of sweetness.
 
PieceOfLayerCake June 18, 2015
Also remember that while cream of tartar is very helpful, its not necessary when whipping egg whites.
 
dinner A. June 18, 2015
As long as the texture of your tapioca pudding will stand up to a little stirring, go ahead and neutralize the cream of tartar with a little baking soda. The flavor of baking soda comes mostly from its alkalinity, so it will be directly neutralized by reaction with the cream of tartar. Just go very, very easy with the baking soda -- start with a little pinch and see how that tastes after you stir it in.
 
C S. June 18, 2015
Baking soda and cream of tartar are often used together for the combination of acidic and basic pHs. It sounds like it is too late to add any soda which doesn't seem like a good flavor profile anyway. How about sliced bananas or whipped cream to tone it down?
 
Recommended by Food52