Baked eggs were something that did not appeal to me for a long time – not because I don’t like eggs, but because the cooking method seemed somewhat unnecessary to me. It only takes a few minutes to scramble or fry some eggs; oven cooking takes longer and you need to allow for the oven to preheat, as well. Poached eggs take about the same time to make as eggs baked in the oven, but not all baked eggs use a water bath and there is still a longer setup time.
I was told that the point of baked eggs was the presentation. The eggs come out looking beautiful in their individual ramekins and are easy to serve. This is true and is the point that got me to try my hand at baking eggs in the first place. It turns out that there is one other big advantage to baking eggs that was not mentioned to me: customizability.
Baked eggs are very easy to make once your oven is hot. Just crack the eggs into a greased ramekin, add a bit of milk and bake until done. Since they’re single servings, you can add any flavorings you wish and make each dish unique. You can layer salsa at the bottom of the cup, or line the ramekin with a tortilla before baking. Cooked spinach is a good base, too. You can add in a piece of cooked bacon or ham, as well as any vegetables that you might ordinarily add into an omelette or other egg dish. For the eggs pictured here, I added some chopped chives, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. One of the two ramekins also has a piece of ham in it.
I like to use two egg whites and one whole egg in my ramekins (healthy, right?), but most 6-oz ramekins will comfortably hold two whole eggs if you prefer. I noted a range of baking times in the recipe below. A 10 minute time will give you very soft eggs, while 15 minutes should give you eggs that have a quite firm consistency. Cook to your desired doneness and take note of the time so you know exactly when to pull the eggs out of the oven for next time.
Baked Egg Cups
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
2 tbsp milk
chopped, fresh chives
grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly grease 2 6-oz. ramekins. Break one whole egg into each ramekin and add two egg whites to each.
Pour 1 tbsp milk into each ramekin (no need to stir) and top with chives, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, to taste.
Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until cooked as you like.
Serve immediately with hot, buttered toast.
Serves 2.
sharon
May 14, 2008I’ve been cooking and eating eggs a lot more frequently for a cheaper source of protein. I’ll definitely try out this method of cooking. I’m bound to get tired of scrambled eggs on e of these days!
Sim
May 15, 2008hi
I have read somewhere about taking a slice of toast bread, moistening it and rolling with a pin. then use it as a shell for baked egg. have you ever tried it? tx
Joanna
May 16, 2008I’ve used won ton wrappers and put them in a muffin tin so I have an edible cup. The “cup” is then crunchy and yummy. I’ve seen people use pieces of pita as well. My favorite is prosciutto and parmesan, but goat cheese and roasted red peppers are great too.
Another reason I really like this method is that I can make eggs for 2 people or a dozen people and I don’t have to be standing at a stove. While the eggs are baking I can make coffee and fry up some thick cut bacon.
Victoria
June 4, 2008You can also use a cupcake tin to make baked eggs. Grease the tin, crack an egg, add a bit of salt/pepper, cheese, chives, anything else to your fancy and bake. You can also line the tin with a piece of ham. This is a great little dish to bring to a brunch.
Alison
August 6, 2008My husband introduced me to baked eggs. He uses a cupcake tin and puts a spoonful of cream of mushroom soup on top. He then covers it with cheese and bakes for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Tasty little critters!! 🙂
I like the idea mentioned above to roll a piece of bread flat and use as a crust. And bacon….oh how I love bacon.
I know what’s for breakfast tomorrow!!