Get 'perfectly oval' poached eggs every time with Mary Berry's pan trick

28 January 2024 , 08:30

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Get 'perfectly oval' poached eggs every time with Mary Berry's pan trick

Poached eggs are absolutely delicious - but it takes a certain knack to be able to cook the perfect yolk.

It's so frustrating when you just can't seem to nail them like professionals do, but legendary TV chef Mary Berry has shared her easy trick to get the "perfect oval" poached egg every time.

The soft texture of the egg can make it difficult to cook properly without breaking, but Mary Berry shared the recipe on her website and promised perfect results every time. She says that while they take care to make, these eggs are "worthwhile".

The baking guru says the secret is all in the preparation. With some boiling water and vinegar, Mary brings a pan to the boil with enough water to poach the eggs. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add a "dash of vinegar".

Mary Berry has shared an easy way to cook perfect poached eggs every time (BBC/Rumpus Media)

The next step, Mary explained, is to "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."

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Next, she said to let them simmer for three to four minutes, or "until the white is set" and the yolk is soft in the middle. She urged: "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."

She shared a handy tip for those who may not be as confident when poaching eggs and said: "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 Berry has shared how she cooks her perfect poached eggs every time (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Mary also shared her hollandaise sauce recipe, which can be found 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:

Using a hand whisk, whisk the yolks and vinegar together until blended. Mary shared that using a hand whisk is better as you will have more control over the final texture and warned: "You don't want it to be whipped and become too thick to pour."

Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and pour in the melted butter slowly while whisking continuously until the sauce has thickened and becomes glossy. Then season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

You can cover the bowl with cling film and set aside while the eggs cook. Mary also shared that you can prepare ahead and said: "The hollandaise sauce can be made up to an hour ahead and kept warm in a wide-necked vacuum flask."

Niamh Kirk