Final answer:
Cream of tartar, used as a stabilizer in cooking, activates immediately upon mixing with other ingredients and works throughout the desired cooking or freezing process. It helps prevent sugar crystallization in homemade ice cream, contributing to a creamy texture and is also used to stabilize beaten egg whites.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cream of tartar, which is potassium hydrogen tartrate (KHC₄H₄O₆), plays a role in various cooking processes, including as an activating agent. It precipitates gradually in wine that's stored at cooler temperatures due to its relatively low solubility in water. One might wonder, 'How long does cream of tartar activate?'
In the context of cooking, specifically when making homemade ice cream without a churn, cream of tartar acts as a stabilizer. It helps prevent the crystallization of sugar, thus contributing to the creamy texture of the ice cream. When cream of tartar is added to egg whites, it strengthens the egg's proteins, allowing the whites to hold more air and volume. It should be mixed with the other ingredients and included throughout the freezing process, activated immediately, and works until the ice cream has set to the desired texture -- generally over the course of four to five hours of stirring every 45 minutes.
Tartrate crystals in wine are removed before consumption to prevent altering the wine's texture, as they are often considered undesirable by wine drinkers. White and rose wines tend to have less tartrate crystals due to lower levels of tartaric acid.