How To Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time

culled from:thekitchn.com

1. Put the eggs in a pan of cold water: Place 6 cold eggs in a saucepan and fill with cold water, covering the eggs by an inch.
2. Bring the water to a rolling boil: Set the pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil, uncovered. The water should come to a full, rolling boil.
3. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove the pan from heat and cover the pan. Don't forget about the pan on the stove and let the eggs boil for too long or they will over cook!
4. Set your timer for the desired time: Leave the eggs in the covered pan for the right amount of time. How long? Depends on whether you want soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs. Here's how long each will take:
   
   • For runny soft-boiled eggs (barely set whites): 3 minutes
   • For slightly runny soft-boiled eggs: 4 minutes
   • For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs: 6 minutes
   • For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs: 10 minutes
   • For very firm hard-boiled eggs: 15 minutes
   
5. Tap the cooked eggs gently. After your selected time is up, remove the cooked eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and tap each gently on the countertop to crack the shell in a few places. Skip this step if your eggs are very soft-boiled with runny yolks or if you're planning to dye your eggs for Easter.
6. Place the eggs in a bowl of ice water. Fill a bowl with ice water. Transfer the eggs to the bowl and leave them there for at least 1 minute.
7. Peel and eat! When ready to eat, peel the egg and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

• Quantity: You can of course do fewer eggs (or more!), but we like to do 6 at once.
• Storage: Refrigerate any unused eggs, still in their shells, within 2 hours. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• The black plate in these photos is a clay platter by La Chamba from Toque Blanche.