cream of tartar: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Culinary
Quick answer
What does “cream of tartar” mean?
A white crystalline powder (potassium bitartrate) used in baking and cooking as a leavening agent and stabilizer.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A white crystalline powder (potassium bitartrate) used in baking and cooking as a leavening agent and stabilizer.
A byproduct of winemaking, found deposited inside wine barrels, used primarily in culinary contexts but also historically in some cleaning and medicinal preparations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The substance and term are identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Primarily associated with home baking and specific recipes (e.g., snickerdoodles, angel food cake).
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, used almost exclusively in baking contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “cream of tartar” in a Sentence
Use cream of tartar to [VERB] (e.g., stabilize egg whites).Add a teaspoon of cream of tartar.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in specific contexts like food manufacturing or wholesale spice distribution.
Academic
Used in chemistry or food science contexts when discussing chemical leaveners or tartaric acid derivatives.
Everyday
Used almost exclusively in home baking and cooking discussions or recipes.
Technical
Precise term in chemistry (KC₄H₅O₆) and culinary science for a specific leavening agent and stabilizer.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cream of tartar”
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cream of tartar”
- Misspelling as 'cream of tarter'.
- Confusing it with 'baking powder' (which contains it) or 'tartaric acid'.
- Assuming it is a dairy product because of the word 'cream'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Baking powder contains cream of tartar along with bicarbonate of soda and a drying agent. Cream of tartar is a single ingredient.
For stabilising egg whites, you can use an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar. For its leavening function in baking powder, it is harder to substitute directly.
It is found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets, often near the spices or flour.
The name comes from its appearance as the crystalline crust ('tartar') deposited in wine casks, which was once called 'cream' in an old sense meaning the best or purest part.
A white crystalline powder (potassium bitartrate) used in baking and cooking as a leavening agent and stabilizer.
Cream of tartar is usually technical/culinary in register.
Cream of tartar: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkriːm əv ˈtɑːtə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrim əv ˈtɑːrtɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TARTAR sauce is tangy; CREAM OF TARTAR makes baking tangy and light.'
Conceptual Metaphor
A POWDERED MAGIC (for transforming egg whites or dough).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary culinary use of cream of tartar?