Last night, I put the myth to the test. I was whipping egg whites to fold into waffle batter (mmmm, waffles) and broke a yolk. A very distinct dot of yolk was in my pristine whites. Well, I was running behind on dinner and the recipe is pretty forgiving, since I'd still get waffles even if the eggs didn't whip properly, so I got out my whisk and went to town. Even with the yolk, the whites whipped up just as nicely as can be.
So if you get a speck of yolk in your whites, don't throw out the whole batch. Take a chance! In fact, take a chance on these wonderful yeast-risen waffles. They are fabulous. Here's the recipe, courtesy of Joy of Cooking:
Whisk together:
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk
Whisk together in a very large bowl:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk
- 3 large egg whites

Spread the batter evenly across the iron, to within 1/4" of the edge of the grids, using the back of a metal spatula, wooden spoon or ladle. Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in a single layer on a rack in a 200 degree F oven while you finish cooking the rest (if your family can wait that long. Mine can't).