Coddled eggs (or ouefs en cocotte) produce perfect results every time with none of the mess you get from poaching. For a touch of luxury, add a little cream and enjoy a cuddle in a pot!
What are coddled eggs?
What is a coddled egg? To coddle means to nurse and treat with great care. Originally a coddled egg was cooked gently in the shell, in water that was hot but not boiling, or else boiled for a very short time.
Today, a coddled egg is one that has been cooked in a water bath but out of its shell, in a porcelain or ceramic coddler, or ramekin dish. This essentially replaces the shell. The result is very much like a poached egg or a boiled egg with a softer white.
So why take the trouble to coddle your egg? An egg (or two) cooked and served simply in an egg coddler is much like a softer version of a boiled egg served in the shell. It has the advantage, though, of no top shell to chip away at, which makes it less messy to eat.
A dippy egg and soldiers without the risk of crumbs of shell is great for children. The egg won’t fall out of the coddler, which usually looks like a taller egg cup.
Cooked in a ramekin dish, your coddled egg results in a shape more like a poached egg. You can serve it in the pot or slip it out of the ramekin to serve on toast, on a bed of spinach or however you prefer.
The advantage is that there is no need to drain off the water and no risk of the yolk breaking during cooking. It’s much less messy when it comes to the washing up and the results are more reliable – fuss free, in fact!
Luxury coddled eggs
There’s more to coddling eggs than a simple, unadorned egg. If you see a coddled egg (or oeufs en cocotte) on a menu, whether for breakfast or a starter at dinner, chances are it’s a slightly fancier dish.
In fact, for many people a coddled egg is an egg cooked with a little double cream and seasoned with salt and pepper, and perhaps some nutmeg. You can also add a little gruyere or other cheese. Soft and unctuous, this really is the ultimate comfort food and it’s so easy to make.
With a slightly larger ramekin dish, you can add all sorts of ingredients for variations on the theme. I have made a ham and cheese version below.
What is an egg coddler?
A traditional egg coddler is a little porcelain or ceramic cup designed for cooking eggs. It tends to be more or less egg-cup shaped, with a screw-on metal or ceramic lid. They are generally designed to take one or two eggs.
The smaller ones only take an egg, but the larger ones usually have a bit of extra space for additions as well as that second egg!
Many egg coddlers are highly collectable and spend more time on the display shelf than in use. The most recognisable are those made by Royal Worcester. In fact, these may be the original egg coddlers, first introduced in the 19th century.
Today, you can find silicone variations on the theme and ‘poached egg pans’ that are really a type of coddler, and of course you can readily pick up coddlers in charity / thrift shops, or on eBay.
You don’t need a specialist coddler to make coddled eggs, however. A ramekin dish will do just fine.
Why make coddled eggs?
- it’s easy
- it’s reliable – if the yolk goes in unbroken, it will come out unbroken
- they’re absolutely delicious at breakfast, lunch, supper or as a starter at dinner
- there is none of the messy clearing up you get with poached eggs
- you serve in the cooking vessel and it looks fabulous
- Endlessly adaptable – add extra filings and ingredients
- Perfect for breakfast – get everything ready and let the eggs cook whilst you have a shower and get up!
Coddled eggs ingredients
- Free range eggs – and a coddler or ramekin for each one
- Seasoning – salt and pepper
- Butter – to butter the inside of the coddler or ramekin
- Cream – optional, for a more luxurious egg
See variations below for more fillings and how to adapt your coddled egg.
How to coddle an egg in a coddler – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare your coddlers by greasing the inside very lightly with a little butter. If you prefer, you can use a little oil.
This adds some flavour – (nearly) everything is better with butter, and also makes the coddler a little easier to clean!
Step Two – Put one, or two eggs into each coddler. Season and if you want to use cream, pour a little over the top, or add an extra knob of butter.
Step Three – Put the lids in place and secure.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
You want the lids on tight, but not too tight. I tighten and then turn back just a fraction of a turn so the hot coddler can easily be opened when the egg is cooked.
Step Four – Stand the coddlers in a deep frying pan or saucepan. Add boiling water so that it comes about half way up the coddlers. Set on the stove top and turn on the heat, on a low setting.
Bring the water up to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes depending on your coddler, stove and how full it is.
Step Five – Remove the pan from the heat and the coddlers from the pan. I find the easiest way is to use a fork to lift them out. Hold the coddler with a tea towel and twist the fork to open the lid. If needed return to cook a bit longer.
Serve our freshly cooked coddled egg immediately – this one has a delicious layer of melted butter on the top of it!
How to coddle an egg in a ramekin – step by step
No coddler? You can coddle your eggs in a ramekin or tea cup instead!
Step One – Prepare your ramekins. Grease the insides very lightly with a little butter (or oil, if you prefer).
Step Two – Put one egg into each ramekin. If you want to add extra ingredients, add these first.
As you can see from the photograph, I have added a little chopped ham and cream cheese.
Season with salt and pepper. You can add a little butter or cream on top or do as I have done and top with cheese.
Step Three – Stand the ramekins in a pan, you don’t need to stand it on a trivet, or folded kitchen paper etc, and add water around the sides so that it comes about half way up the ramekins.
Step Four – Put the lid on the pan and set it on a low heat. Bring the water up to a very gentle simmer.
The lid is essential to keep the heat in the pan so the tops of the eggs cook, giving a set white, but still runny yolk.
Step Five – Cook until the eggs are lightly set – usually around 8-10 minutes, for one egg in a ramekin, but it does depend on the pan, the size of your eggs and how gentle your stove is, so you need to pay attention to get them as you want them.
Carefully lift out with tongs, or a fish slice. Serve immediately.
Serving suggestion
Serve with delicious homemade bread or toast soldiers!
Variations
- Put a little cream and a sprinkling of gruyere on top of your egg.
- Add a little flaked haddock or smoked salmon under the egg.
- Include some chives or other favourite herbs.
- Add ham and cheese, as shown above, or a little creamed spinach and cheese.
- Try chopped cherry tomatoes or sundried tomatoes.
- Add a little cream cheese.
- Add some chopped cooked bacon.
Are coddled eggs safe?
In the UK, always choose eggs with the Lion Mark, which shows that your eggs meet government safety standards. NHS advice is clear that ‘infants, children, pregnant women and elderly people can now safely eat raw or lightly cooked hen eggs, or foods containing them,’ as long as the eggs have this mark.
The change in advice of recent years is the result of improvements in farming practices, with hens now vaccinated against salmonella. All you need to worry about now is that your eggs are reasonably fresh.
Eggs generally last for about four weeks before they become unusable. Lion marked eggs come marked with a use-by date. If in doubt, you can check for freshness with the float test. The freshest eggs will sink to the bottom of a pint glass of water, while any that float on the top should be discarded.
Outside the UK, check your local safety recommendations.
Hints and tips
- Greasing the inside of the coddler helps to avoid the egg sticking. This makes life much easier if you are going to remove them from the pot, and also helps with the washing up. I don’t put my pretty egg coddlers in the dishwasher but try to soak them immediately after use.
- When using ramekins to coddle your eggs, choose a pan with a lid to keep the heat in. This will help to make sure the top of the egg white is cooked before the yolk starts to set too much.
- You can a fork to lift traditional coddlers out of the pan as shown in the photograph. For ramekins, try tongs or a spatula.
- The timings for this recipe may sound a bit vague but that is because it does depend on how gentle your hob is, as well as the size of the eggs. Once you have worked out what works in your kitchen, make a note of the timing for next time. Then you’ll be able to set a timer and take a morning shower while your breakfast cooks!
FAQS
Shirred eggs and coddled eggs go into a ramekin in much the same way, but the shirred egg is baked without a water bath, resulting in a firmer set egg.
As long as your eggs have the lion mark or your local safety certification, there is no reason at all why children can’t eat very lightly cooked eggs. Soft eggs go down very well with young children and this method keeps the mess to a minimum.
Any time at all! These eggs are delicious for a simple breakfast, lunch or supper dish. With a few luxurious flourishes, they make a delicious starter for a dinner party too.
I think this one is lost in the mists of time, but Royal Worcester claim to have invented the earliest purpose made egg coddlers in the 19th century.
Beautiful breakfast recipes
If your breakfast is boring, I’ve got plenty of ideas for packing fruit, grains and protein into easy, nutritious morning treats. Why not try these?
- Bircher muesli with carrot (overnight oats)
- Maple bacon muffins for breakfast on the go
- Frozen yogurt breakfast sundae with fruit compote
- Easy rhubarb jam – for your morning toast
- Explore all my breakfast and brunch recipes!
Easy Coddled eggs
Ingredients
- 1 tsp butter (use oil if you prefer)
- 1-2 eggs (per person)
- salt and pepper (to season)
- cream (optional)
- chopped ham (optional)
- a few shavings of cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
Coddled eggs in egg coddlers
- Grease the inside of the coddlers with a little butter.1 tsp butter
- Crack one egg into each coddler. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little extra butter or cream if using.1-2 eggs, salt and pepper, cream
- Secure the lids of the coddlers, and stand them in the pan.
- Set a little water in a saucepan, enough to come about halfway up the sides of the coddlers.
- Bring the water to a very gentle simmer.
- Cook for 10–15 minutes, use a fork to lift the eggs out of the pan, and to twist the lid off.
- Check the egg white is set, if necessary, replace the lid and return to the pan for another few minutes.
Coddled eggs in ramekins
- Grease the inside of the ramekins with a little butter.1 tsp butter
- If you want to use ham, chop into small pieces and add to the bottom of the ramekin. Crack one or two eggs into each ramekin.1-2 eggs, salt and pepper, cream, chopped ham, a few shavings of cheddar cheese
- Season with salt and pepper and add a dot of butter or a little cream on top if using. You can also add a little cheese on top.
- Stand the ramekins in the frying pan and add water around them, so that it comes to no more than half way up the ramekins, put a lid on the pan.
- Bring the water to a very gentle simmer.
- Cook for 8-12 minutes, until the eggs are very lightly set. Carefully lift out with tongs or a fish slice.
Notes
- Put a little cream and a sprinkling of gruyere on top of your egg.
- Add a little flaked haddock or smoked salmon under the egg.
- Include some chives or other favourite herbs.
- Add ham and cheese, as shown above, or a little creamed spinach and cheese.
- Try chopped cherry tomatoes or sundried tomatoes.
- Add a little cream cheese.
- Add some chopped cooked bacon.
- Greasing the inside of the coddler helps to avoid the egg sticking. This makes life much easier if you are going to remove them from the pot, and also helps with the washing up. I don’t put my pretty egg coddlers in the dishwasher but try to soak them immediately after use.
- When using ramekins to coddle your eggs, choose a pan with a lid to keep the heat in. This will help to make sure the top of the egg white is cooked before the yolk starts to set too much.
- You can a fork to lift traditional coddlers out of the pan as shown in the photograph. For ramekins, try tongs or a spatula.
- The timings for this recipe may sound a bit vague but that is because it does depend on how gentle your hob is, as well as the size of the eggs. Once you have worked out what works in your kitchen, make a note of the timing for next time. Then you’ll be able to set a timer and take a morning shower while your breakfast cooks!
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