The Perfect Boiled Egg

The Perfect Boiled Egg

Now, I know, there is much debate about the perfect boiled egg. I'm not trying to be controversial😜. This is not a method that claims to make the epitome of boiled eggs for everyone, HOWEVER, it is a way of boiling an egg that produces the exact same results every time.

I don't know about you, but I've always found boiled eggs to be hit and miss. I'd use a time at my house and it would be perfect, then use the same time at my parents house and the egg would be over done or not done enough. Then I discovered the secret!

Keep reading to find out what it is...

Ingredients

• 2 large free range eggs
• 2 slices of bread of choice - I favour multi-seeded wholemeal
• butter (or spread, or nothing if you are so inclined)
• beverage of choice - mango and lychee green tea with honey is my choice

Equipment

• 1 pin (one with a large head is the best, like the ones that are covered in plastic on the end and look like pearls)
• 1 desert spoon
• 1 small saucepan
• a timer of some sort
• water
• a double egg cup or 2 single egg cups
• 1 teaspoon - preferably with a flat handle
• butter knife
• 2 plates
• toaster

Instructions

1. Fill your saucepan 2/3rds with water and place over a high heat - if it is hot water from the tap of kettle it will be quicker.
2. Put the bread in the toaster and pop down. Now I like my toast well done and cold for making soldiers because the structural integrity is better. If you like your toast warm, do this step once your eggs are on.
3. Pierce the top of the eggs with the pin very gently. This will stop them cracking when they are placed in the boiling water.
4. When the water is boiling, lower the eggs into the water using the desert spoon. Avoids any chance of scolding.
5. Start timer for 4m30s. This produces a runny egg where the yolk is beginning to firm up on the outside and the white of the egg is no longer clear, but there is some runny white under the yolk. If you like your egg less done, reduce the time, more done, increase it.
6. When your toast pops - take it out and put it on the plate to cool like you are balancing 2 cards against each other when making a house of cards. This stops the toast going soggy. If you like your toast with butter melted in - just butter it straight away - that's what i do for toast and jam, but for soldiers I use this method.
7. When the timer goes off, carefully tip away as much of the hot water as possible down the sink. Then immediately fill the saucepan with cold water. Tip out again and refill with cold. This will stop the eggs from continuing cooking. THIS IS THE SECRET I MENTIONED!!!
8. Pop the eggs into the egg cups.
9. Cut up your soldiers - I butter them afterwards - I know, weird, but then they don't get soggy.
10. Tap the top of the egg with the teaspoon to crack the shell, and use the handle of the spoon to carefully lift away the top of the shell. None of this whack it off with a knife in this house - too much chance of shell in the egg!
11. Use the spoon to nip off the top of the egg white until the yolk is visible and consume.
12. Dunk soldiers and be happy (while trying not to get egg yolk all down the front of the new top).

And there we have it - my chosen method for getting the perfect boiled egg and soldiers every time. I had this for my breakfast this very morning, actually.

So I know there are many methods for boiling the perfect egg - which is your favourite?

Photo for banner by Steve Harvey on Unsplash

Double Chocolate Fudge Cakes - Gluten Free

Now I've mentioned this recipe before, but it was linked to a Livejournal post of mine and I really don't trust LJ anymore, so I'm reposting it here. This recipe uses corn flour (corn starch) and ground almonds instead of flour so it is gluten free.

Double Chocolate Fudge Cakes - Gluten Free

I'm going to put two lots of ingredients up here - to make 12 small cakes or to make one large 3 decker cake. I've done my best to put in US cup/stick measures as well as the UK ones.

How the individual cakes come out.

Ingredients

12 individual cakes

For the cake

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or above) (1 1/4 cups of dark choc chips)
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed (just under 1 stick butter)
• 4 medium eggs
• 50g arrowroot or corn flour (corn starch), sifted (2/5 cup)
• 175g icing sugar, sifted (1 2/5 cup)
• 25ml rum or milk (1.5 tbsp)
• 100g ground almonds (4/5 cup)
• 1/4 tspn cream of tartar

For the icing

• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) (2/3 cup dark choc chips)
• 50g creme fraiche (1/5 cup)
• 75g icing sugar (just under 2/3 cup)
• something to decorate like sugared violets or silver balls or anything like that

~OR~

3 tier large cake

• 300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or above) (1 4/5 cups of dark choc chips)
• 150g unsalted butter, cubed (1 1/3 sticks)
• 6 medium eggs
• 75g arrowroot or corn flour (corn starch), sifted (2/3 cup)
• 260g icing sugar, sifted (2 cup)
• 37ml rum or milk (2 tbsp)
• 150g ground almonds (1.25 cups)
• 3/8 tspn cream of tartar

For the icing

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) (1 1/3 cup dark choc chips)
• 100g creme fraiche (2/5 cup)
• 150g icing sugar (1 1/5 cup)
• something to decorate like sugared violets or silver balls or anything like that

Equipment

• a large mixing bowl
• a med heat proof bowl
• small saucepan
• metal spoon
• electric whisk (or you can use a hand whisk if you are feeling up to it :))
• rubber spatula
• 4cm deep, 20x30cm baking tray (or 3 8inch/20cm sponge tins)
• non-stick lining paper (greaseproof)
• 5cm diameter round cutter

Instuctions

For the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (160C/320F fan/convection )
2. Line the baking tray with the non-stick baking paper
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in the heat proof bowl over the saucepan of simmering water or pop in the microwave on high for 30 secs, then check and keep going in 10sec intervals until chocolate is melting.
4. Turn melted chocolate into big mixing bowl and allow to cool
5. Beat in 2 whole egg (3 for large cake) and 2 of the yolks (3 for large cake), reserving the whites for later
6. Beat in the arrowroot/cornflour, icing sugar, almonds and rum until smooth.
7. Whisk the two egg whites with the cream of tartar until they reach the soft peaks stage.
8. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon or spatula.
9. Spoon mixture into the lined baking tray (a spatula is very useful for getting it all) or equal amounts into the 3 lines sponge tins for the large cake.
10. Bake for 15 mins until barely set
11. Leave to cool in the tray(s).
12. If doing the individual cakes turn the cold cake out onto a board and cut into 24 rounds with the 5cm cutter, for the large version just turn out the cakes from the sponge tins and remove the lining paper.

For the icing

1. Melt the chocolate in the heat proof bowl over the saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave at first for 30secs then in 10sec intervals until chocolate is melted.
2. Beat in the creme fraiche and the icing sugar until smooth (it may split slightly).
3. Beat in a few teaspoons of boiling water until the consistency turns satiny.
4. Working qucikly spoon a little of the icing onto each cake round, then stack two together to form 12 little cakes or Sandwich the three cakes together with icing and then use the rest to cover the outside of the cake (if I'm feeling lazy I just do the top, but there is usually enough icing to do the sides as well).
5. Put on your decoration.

This cake is squidgy and delicious along the lines of a brownie. I only know one person who can eat more than a small bit at a time :).

How to Make the Fluffiest, Tastiest Omlette Ever! #TipsTuesdays

Today's AtoZChallenge post can be found here: U is for Ursula, Usurian & Uberwald.

So I have never really liked omlettes because I find them rubbery and don't really like the way they often taste. However, then I went on hols to Canada and was served omlettes I loved on more than one occasion, so I investigated. This is what I have found and this technique makes the fluffiest, tastiest omlettes, so I had to share. I've made this recipe for my sister, who has the same objections to omlettes as I do and she approved :). It's like a souffle without the flour!

This recipe is for a cheese omlette, but you could add anything else you liked as well. Just make sure your toppings are pre-cooked and just need heating through.

This is an awesome way to  have a really filling gluten free breakfast - no need for toast to fill a hole with this omlette. The recipe is also suitable for vegetarians as long as you use veggie friendly cheese.

 How to Make the Fluffiest, Tastiest Omlette Ever!

Makes 1 omlette, Time 10-15mins
(If you want to make enough for two really quickly without having to faff and wait while making a second omlette, double the number of eggs, up the time in the oven slightly, and then cut the resulting omlette in half).

Equipment:

• 1 bowl
• 1 omlette pan that can go in the oven (if you only have one with a handle that will melt, you can use the grill (broiler) and keep the handle sticking out)
• 1 electric whisk (you could use a hand whisk, but it will take a lot of elbow grease)
• 1 spatula

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs (because of the method two eggs makes a generous omlette)
• a sprinkling of grated cheese (you can add as much or as little as you like, but it really doesn't need much - I used a mixture of cheedar for favour and mozzarella for stringy bits)
• pinch of salt (I use smoked salt because I like the flavour)
• pinch of white pepper (you could use black pepper if you like, but I'm not fond of the bits)
• butter/oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F or turn on your grill (broiler) to high.
2. Put the eggs in the bowl with the salt and pepper. DO NOT be tempted to add any of the toppings at this stage or anything that will impede whisking, however, if you want other spices like a bit of cayene or tumeric, now is the time to put them in.
3. Whisk the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes with the electric whisk until they are a light yellow, very frothy and you can see trails in the mixture. Don't give up too soon - you want the eggs as light and fluffy as you can get them.
4. Melt the butter in the pan (if you are feeling decedant) or heat the drizzle of oil (if you are feeling healthier).
5. Add the frothy egg mixture and gently move it away from the sides of the pan with the spatula.
6. Keep moving the egg gently, allowing the still molten froth to fill gaps that you leave until the omlette is about 50% cooked. It should still look like froth on the top.
7. Sprinkle over the cheese (or any other toppings). Don't go too made or you will deflate the uncooked part of the omlette.
8. Put in the oven for 3-4 mins. Check to see if it cooked after 3 and if not, pop it in for 1 more. Remember your pan handle will be HOT - so use an oven mitt or cloth - I forgot at least twice! If using a grill/broiler, pop the main part of the pan under and keep an eye on it to see when it's cooked through.
9. Fold the omlette in half and serve. (It's really good with avocado).

This is the perfect way to do an omlette for someone who doesn't like any chance of runny egg in the middle, without turning the egg mixture into leather. It also works for those people who like their omlette slightly gooey, because just don't cook it quite so long in the oven and the residual foam in the middle goes lovely and moist.

This is the first technique I have ever used where I actually ended up with a neat, round omlette, as well as a delicious one. The whipping seems to lighten the taste somehow as well. Of course it does mean that my breakfast now takes me 3/4 of an hour - it takes me 30-40 mins to eat the omlette :). Yes I am a slow eater, but it sets me up all morning.

3 Variations on Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Choc Chip Cookies (delicious) - #TipsTuesdays 25

My apologies for not being around the last few days - my husband and I were in London from Sat until yesterday having an awesome long weekend :). Welcome to Tips Tuesdays 25 and today I have the most fabulous recipe for you. You will not believe how good these taste and they have no flour so they are gluten free, which is simply win-win. They only take moments to make - the difficult part is not eating them before they are cool.

The original recipe is from Simply Nigella (I will keep mentioning this book because it is amazing), but I have tried two variations as well that I wanted to share.

3 Variations on Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Choc Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Original Nigella Lawson Recipe

• 225g (almost 1 cup) smooth peanut butter
• 100g (1/2 cup) light soft brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tblspn vanilla paste/extract
• 50g dark choc chips (I use 75g because I like lots of choc chips :))

Cruchy Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookies

The only change here is to use

• 250g (1cup) crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth 

- I added more to make the same consistency, but take into account the bits of peanut in the peanut butter as well.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

For these I added

• 25g (1/4 cup) pure cocoa powder 

- the mix is slightly dryer than the original, but tastes just fine.

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F, Gas Mark 4).
2. Put the peanut butter, sugar, bicarb and salt (plus cocoa powder if making the double choc) into a mixing bowl and combine.
   • Tip: I use a free standing mixer with a paddle attachment, but you can use a hand whisk or simply a wooden spoon and some elbow grease.
3. Add the egg and the vanilla and gently combine
   • Tip: do not be too enthusiastic, do not use the top speed and stop once everything has come together.
4. Using a spatula/spoon fold in the chocolate chips.
   • Tip: my mixture is usually quite solid by this point, having come together after adding the egg, but it will depend on how soft your peanut butter was to begin with.
5. Line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper or silicon baking sheets
   • Tip: if you only have one baking tray or a small oven you can do the cookies in 2 batches without any problems - they are not time critical.
6. Divide the mixture into 16 little mounds on the 2 baking sheets.
   • Tip: the tablespoon measure slightly heaped is just about the right size.
7. Place in the over and cook for 10 mins only.
8. Remove from the oven and leave on the baking sheets for 10 mins.
   • Tip: If you try and remove them earlier you will end up with cookie mush - still tasty, but not as attractive :).
9. Slide onto a wire rack and leave for another 10 mins to cool completely.
   • Tip: They will keep for days in an airtight container.

These are very nice with a cuppa and are very moreish :). My husband's office love them.

Do you have any cookie recipe recommendations?

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The Machine: Rise of the Gifted
by Natasha Duncan-Drake

Rafe Derouet used to be a world class, British figure skater competing against his arch rival, flamboyant American Louis Hayes. A catastrophic knee injury ended his career and now all he can do is look on from the sidelines, commentating where he used to be a star. He hates Louis and wants nothing more than to see his nemesis go down in a blaze of failure.

Then mysterious men in black with guns take over a press meet, trying to arrest Louis, awakening something dangerous in their target, and setting in motion events they cannot control. Most shocking of all, Rafe finds out Louis can literally read his mind.

Dragged into a murky world of government agents and x-files by one of those x-files, Rafe finds his world view completely changing. And, along the way, his hatred for Louis proves to be something else entirely.

Now Rafe just needs to survive so he can decide what to do about it.

99c Last Day

Tip: How to ice a cake and not make a mess of the cake board :)

Y'know how drizzle or pouring icing/frosting always seems to make a mess of the lovely shiny cake board? If you're feeling brave you can ice the cake on something else then move it, but with sticky icing or a really large cake this can be a nightmare.

There is a simple way to avoid both problems (I think I picked this up from a TV chef, possibly Barefoot Contessa):

All you do it put pieces of grease proof/parchment paper around and just under the edges of the cake. Then you can make a mess and once you're done, remove the paper and the board still looks lovely.

Word of warning, if your icing has pooled, use a spatula or knife to separate the superfluous icing from the cake before pulling away the paper, or you might pull away some that is attached to your cake.