Why Alex Guarnaschelli Never Makes Deviled Eggs Without Whipping Cream
Alex Guarnaschelli — also known as "The ICAG," short for Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, according to her Instagram profile — can often be found gracing fans' screens on the Food Network. When she's not filming shows like "Supermarket Stakeout" and "Alex vs. America," she often shares recipes for her favorite foods on her website.
Guarnaschelli's official website includes a variety of party-perfect recipes, from appetizers such as popovers and shrimp cocktail to dinner dishes such as baked shrimp scampi and a mushroom scallion frittata. Guarnaschelli won her title and status from her talent in the kitchen, but part of what makes her food so good is that she uses tricks she learned from family recipes.
According to Guarnaschelli's website, her mom, Maria Guarnaschelli, was a cookbook editor. Her knowledge in the kitchen helped ensure that Alex grew up with a love for the culinary arts, and she received an in-home education on the various cuisines her mom worked with.
The addition changes the texture of the filling
Alex Guarnaschelli's deviled egg trick is one that she learned from her mother, the chef explained to Food & Wine. Guarnaschelli said that she and her mother used to make the appetizer during the Easter season, and she's now adopted her mom's methods. The trick? Folding heavy whipped cream into the egg mixture.
Once Guarnaschelli separates the yolks from the whites, she mixes the yolks into a fluffy filling. Part of the way that she is able to achieve her desired consistency is carefully folding in the whipping cream. She says that once everything is combined, the heavy whipping cream makes the filling "fluffy and light."
In Guarnaschelli's recipe for deviled eggs, she states that she whips the cream separately into medium peaks, then folds it in with a rubber spatula to the prepped egg yolk mixture. She then puts it all into a piping bag and distributes the filling into the empty egg white halves.
Guarnaschelli's recipe deviates from tradition
To enhance the flavor of the mix, Alex Guarnaschelli adds yellow mustard, salt, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, and cayenne pepper, according to her recipe. She even suggests topping the eggs off with Tabasco hot sauce for a little extra kick, if you like your food spicy.
Guarnaschelli's recipe deviates from traditional deviled egg recipes, which only usesthe yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard, as well as a little salt, pepper, paprika, and dill weed to season the mix. The food has been around since as early as the 13th century in Spain, according to Curious Cuisinière. The dish's popularity reportedly spread, and Europe was enjoying deviled eggs by the 15th century.
The dish has many different names; stuffed eggs, dressed eggs, and salad eggs are a few common ones, according to MyRecipes. Though the name may change, these little finger foods can often be found on the appetizer table during holidays such as Easter and Christmas.