The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
More often than not, simplicity is best :-)
A single egg literally has enough nutrients to be an entire meal, and hard boiling them is a great way to take them with you to enjoy on the run! We boil them in bulk so we always have a little stock in the fridge, and love them with a little paprika sprinkle :-)
The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Step 1: Place room-temperature eggs in a saucepan and fill with cold water until the eggs are fully submerged.
Step 2: Add 1 tsp of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). This will help make the eggs easier to peel.
Step 3: Turn the heat to high, and place the lid on.
Step 4: As soon as the water reaches a rolling boil - start your timer, remove the lid and turn the heat down a little if there's a risk of boiling over (the baking soda is likely to increase this risk).
Step 5: Allow to boil for 8 minutes (see below for adjusting the timing for desired egg consistency). During this time, prepare an ice bath for your eggs - fill a bowl with cold water and add a handful of ice.
Step 6: Once time has been reached, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath using a slotted spoon. Allow to cool completely before removing.
I love a boiled egg that doesn't have a completely hard centre - just the smidge of softness - but you can adjust this to make the centre rock hard or a little softer if you wish - I know many out there like a bit of a run in there! Here's an infographic to help you decide on your ideal boiling time:
Source: BBC Food
Hot tip: if you love poached eggs but are terrible at making them (as so many of us are, myself included!), the result after 5 minutes of boiling will produce the same effect!
Eggcelent! :-D x