How To Bake Eggs En Cocotte

Baking eggs en cocotte is a simple and elegant way to prepare eggs. The eggs are baked in a small ramekin (each ramekin holds either one or two eggs, depending on its size) with butter or cream. The yolks stay soft and creamy, making them a nice accompaniment to bread or toast. Anne Willan's LaVarenne Pratique, an essential culinary reference book for both novice and expert cooks, shares these tips for peeling boiled eggs.

To make eggs en cocotte, start by buttering the ramekins. Then, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and add any flavorings like cheese or fresh herbs. Crack the eggs and add one or two to each ramekin, depending on its size. Add a tablespoon of cream to each ramekin and cover the eggs loosely with foil if you like. Create a water bath by setting the ramekins in a pot of water (the water should reach about halfway up the sides of the ramekins) and bringing the water to a boil on top of the stove.

Continue cooking the eggs in the water bath on top of the stove (or bake them in a 375-degree-oven) for 5 to 6 minutes. You can test the eggs for doneness by shaking the ramekin; the whites should be just set and the yolks should still be very soft. The eggs will continue cooking for another 1 to 2  minutes after they're removed from the water bath because of the heat in the ramekin.

For recipes and more tips, visit LaVarenne's website or buy a digital copy of LaVarenne Pratique.

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.