Celebrity chef Mary Berry has shared her foolproof method for cooking perfect poached eggs
Poached eggs are absolutely gorgeous – but getting that runny yolk spot-on takes a bit of know-how.
It's maddening when you can't match what the pros serve up, but telly cooking legend Mary Berry has shared her foolproof trick for nailing the “perfect oval” poached egg every single time.
The fragile nature of eggs makes cooking them properly without mishap a faff, but Mary Berry's put the method up on her website, promising picture-perfect results without exception.
She admits that while they need a watchful eye whilst cooking, these eggs are “worthwhile”.
The kitchen queen reckons it's all about the prep work. Using boiling water and vinegar, Mary heats a pan with enough water for poaching the eggs, reports the Express.
Once the water's bubbling away, dial down the heat to a gentle simmer and add a “dash of vinegar”.
The next step, Mary explained, involves “crack each egg into a ramekin or cup, swirl the water with a spoon and then carefully drop into the pan. Leave until the white is just beginning to set and carefully turn with a slotted spoon to form an oval shape.”
She then recommended simmering them for three to four minutes, or “until the white is set” with the yolk staying runny in the middle. Her warning: “Keep an eye on the heat: if the water starts to bubble again, turn it down to stop it disrupting the egg's shape. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift out and drain on kitchen paper.”
For novice egg poachers, she shared a reassuring pointer: “Don't panic when first tipping an egg into the poaching water. The egg white will naturally spread out, but it comes together as it cooks, and you can tidy the edges at the end when the cooked egg is draining on kitchen paper.”
Mary's hollandaise sauce recipe is detailed below.
Ingredients:
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar, plus extra for poaching the eggs
- 100g (4oz) unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
With a hand whisk, blend the yolks and vinegar together until combined. Mary stressed that a hand whisk gives you better command over the texture, warning: “You don't want it to be whipped and become too thick to pour.”
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Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking continuously until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Add salt and pepper to taste before taking off the heat.
The bowl can be wrapped with cling film and set aside while you cook the eggs. Mary added that you can prep ahead, noting: “The hollandaise sauce can be made up to an hour ahead and kept warm in a wide-necked vacuum flask.”