By Madison Coiner
Have you ever been unsure how to tell if an egg has gone bad? Or had an egg go bad and been unsure what to do about it in regards to your cooking? There’s actually really easy solutions! Just think of the Salem Witch Trials!
Eggs are in a majority of baked goods, so it’s hard to avoid working with them. Most people don’t keep a steady supply of fresh eggs in their homes anymore though, and even eggs bought from the store can get a little funky real fast.
If you’re unsure if an egg is safe to use in your cooking, then you can basically put it through the Salem Witch Trials to find out. As eggs age, air begins to seep inside of them. This expands the air cells in the air, and will act as buoyancy aid.
So really all that has to be done to determine the age of an egg is fill a bowl with water deep enough to fully submerge the egg with an inch or two at least of water on top. Place the egg in the water, then just let it do it’s thing.
If the egg lays completely flat on the bottom of the bowl then congrats! That egg is super fresh. If the top of the egg starts to lift upwards a little bit, but the rest is on the bottom, then the egg is not fresh. It’s not rotten, and should be safe to use but it should be used very soon if at all.
If the egg floats, then it goes in the garbage. Just like witches, floating ones are bad and rotten. If the egg is rotten, then don’t panic. You’ve got options.
“I love the witch comparison! It makes it really easy to remember which eggs are good and which are bad” said Emma Livingstone.
Eggs can be substituted by a few things that people typically have lying around their homes. Some make sense, while others seem a bit strange at first. For example, one fourth cup of unsweetened applesauce (or sweetened if you’re feeling adventurous) can take the place of an egg in a baking recipe. It can be mixed with half a teaspoon of baking powder as well.
Another less apple-y option is what most people go with. Vinegar and baking soda! Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of vinegar to replace the egg. Apple cider vinegar works the best for this.
There’s also options of things like silken tofu or yogurt. One fourth of a cup of yogurt (or buttermilk) can replace an egg. Again, you’ll want unsweetened! For the tofu, it needs to be pureed before use. About one fourth of a cup can replace an egg in your baked goods. The tofu probably isn’t the best option, but it works!
If you’ve got carbonated water or nut butter lying around, those can work too! One fourth of a cup of unflavored carbonated water can replace an egg, while three tablespoons of some sort of nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, whatever you’ve got) will also work. Make sure it’s smooth though or it won’t mix properly!
Thanks for reading! I hoped this helped you in some way, and please don’t use flavored yogurt or applesauce. It just sounds gross. Leave a comment if you have questions! We’ll answer as soon as we can!
Dessert Times 
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