Shirred Eggs|A Baked Egg Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you tell if baked eggs are done? ›

Cook or bake until a thermometer inserted at the center shows 160° F or a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. You may find it difficult to tell if a knife shows uncooked egg or melted cheese in some casseroles and other combination dishes that are thick or heavy and contain cheese – lasagna, for example.

Traditional Cooking Method

Shirred eggs are most often prepared as a broiled egg dish, although occasionally the eggs are baked. Eggs are placed in small buttered dishes referred to as ramekins and broiled until the white is set, but the yolk remains liquid.

Baked Eggs

Also known as 'shirred eggs' are eggs that are baked in a flat dish like a ramekin or a muffin pan and then topped with herbs, cheese or vegetables.

Unlike French oeufs en cocotte or coddled eggs, shirred eggs are not baked immersed in a water bath. These days, “shirred eggs” is used to name any eggs baked this way, usually with a bit of butter and cream, and served in the baking dish.

Bake eggs at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes or until the yolk reaches your desired doneness. If your eggs don't come right out, run a knife around the edges to help them loosen.

Shirred eggs–also known as baked eggs–are freshly cracked eggs baked with cream and cheese in a flat-bottomed dish. The cream thickens the egg, which results in a custard-like consistency. This process is a French culinary technique and absurdly delicious.

There are three types of cooking methods: dry heat cooking, moist heat cooking, and combination cooking. Each method describes how chefs use heat to cook food and bring out unique flavors and textures.

Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread, but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred "from the surface of cakes, cookies, and pieces of bread to their center.

Over easy is the most challenging type of cooked egg because you have to make the flip. One of the best egg tools to use for a successful flip is the silicone spatula.

Cooking eggs in health-conscious ways can preserve their nutrient profile while helping you maximize their overall health benefits. Opt for methods such as poaching, boiling, baking, and scrambling to best retain the nutritional value of eggs without adding unnecessary fat or sodium.

What are the best eggs to bake with? ›

Stick with large chicken eggs, unless otherwise specified in your recipe; most U.S. baking and pastry recipes are designed to be made with large-sized chicken eggs.

Shirred eggs are eggs that have been baked in a gratin dish with a flat bottom. Traditionally, they have been cooked in a dish called a shirrer, from which the dish gets its name, but the name now applies regardless of the type of dish in which they are baked.

Dippy Eggs

The simple explanation is that it's eggs that you dip your toast in and it will break the yolk. Other states call them either over easy or sunny-side up.

In cooking, coddled eggs are eggs that have been cracked into a ramekin or another small container, placed in a water bath or bain-marie and gently or lightly cooked just below boiling temperature.

Turning down the heat and extending the cooking time slightly can help cook an uncovered casserole evenly. High heat cooks the outside faster than the inside, leaving the middle uncooked. Reducing the temperature distributes heat more evenly, allowing the middle to cook through.

If your egg bake turns out runny it is usually from excess moisture being released into the egg bake, usually from any added vegetables. To avoid this, sauté the vegetables and any dense meats before assembling the egg bake.

Cook until you no longer have visible liquid in the pan, about five to seven minutes.

The best way to avoid this common egg mistake? Cook your eggs as gently as possible. If you're baking eggs in an oven, the temperature of the ramekins will continue to rise, so if you leave the eggs in the oven for too long—even just an extra 30 seconds—you will likely overcook them.