•Stabilizing Agent in Baking: Cream of tartar is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking recipes. When combined with baking soda, it helps cakes, cookies, and other baked goods rise by producing carbon dioxide gas.
•Prevents Sugar Crystallization: Adding cream of tartar to syrups, frostings, and candies can prevent sugar from crystallizing, resulting in smoother textures.
•Whipping Agent: When added to egg whites, cream of tartar helps stabilize them and create a firmer foam, making it easier to achieve stiff peaks for meringues and soufflés.
•Improves Texture in Boiled Vegetables: Adding a pinch of cream of tartar to the water when boiling vegetables like potatoes can help preserve their color and texture by reducing the loss of nutrients and preventing them from becoming mushy.
•Cleaning Agent: Cream of tartar is mildly acidic and abrasive, making it useful for cleaning purposes. It can be used to remove stains from aluminum cookware, clean rust stains, and brighten surfaces like stainless steel.
•Remedy for Tarnished Copper Cookware: Cream of tartar mixed with vinegar or lemon juice can create a paste that effectively removes tarnish from copper cookware, leaving it shiny and clean.
•Natural Remedy for Certain Ailments: Some people use cream of tartar as a home remedy for various health issues, although scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness is limited. It has been suggested for alleviating urinary tract infections, reducing arthritis pain, and even as a remedy for quitting smoking, but these claims are anecdotal and not widely supported by research.