Dorure / Egg Wash

Dorure (French for 'gilding') is the liquid preparation applied to the surface of raw pastry or dough with a brush immediately before it enters the oven. Its primary functions are: (1) to accelerate and deepen Maillard browning of the outer crust; (2) to create a glossy, lacquer-like sheen on the finished surface; (3) to act as an adhesive for garnishes such as slivered almonds, sugar crystals, or sesame seeds; and (4) in laminated doughs, to seal the cut edges and help the layers fan open evenly. The composition of the dorure determines its effect. **Whole egg beaten with a pinch of salt** is the all-purpose formula—the proteins brown readily and the yolk contributes fat for moderate sheen. **Egg yolk only (or yolk + heavy cream)** produces the deepest color and highest gloss; it is standard for viennoiseries such as croissants, kouign-amann, and Danish. **Whole egg + milk (1:1)** gives a lighter, softer brown suited to savoury quiches, hand pies, and enriched bread rolls. **Milk or cream alone** imparts minimal browning but some sheen; used where a very pale, matte finish is desired or where an eggless formula is needed. **Water wash** (rare in fine pastry) yields a thin crust with no gloss—essentially just a glaze to ease sugar dissolution. Application technique matters as much as formula. The brush should be fine-bristled (or a food-safe silicone pastry brush) and held like a pen, not a paint roller. The wash is applied in two thin coats: the first seals the surface; the second, applied after 5–10 minutes of drying, builds depth of color. Avoid pooling in cuts, seams, or crimped edges, which can cement layers together and prevent spring, or burn before the interior is cooked. Never brush cut lamination edges of croissants—doing so glues the leaves shut and destroys the honeycomb open crumb. A second coat just before baking a pâte feuilletée can be scored decoratively with the back of a knife (chiqueter) to create a surface pattern that both holds the wash and opens during baking.

“She applied two coats of dorure—a yolk beaten with a splash of cream—to the pithiviers before scoring the dome with shallow arcs, achieving a deep mahogany glaze in the oven.”

• TechniqueLaminated Dough
• ConceptMaillard Reaction
• TechniqueBlind Baking

1. 1.Pâtisserie — Christophe Felder
2. 2.The Professional Pastry Chef — Bo Friberg (4th ed.)
3. 3.Croissant Workshop — Richard Bertinet
4. 4.On Food and Cooking — Harold McGee

Confidence: high