Coddled Egg

A method of cooking an egg in which the egg is cooked more slowly than a boiled egg, but basically yields the same results, except that the egg is more tender. Since it cooks very slowly, there is a firming of the egg that occurs very softly rather than quickly resulting in a harder texture. One method for coddling is to place an egg in the shell into a pan of water that has nearly reached a boil. The pan is removed from the heat and covered. The length of time that the egg remains in the hot water and the intensity of the heat in the water determines the firmness of the yolk. If the water is closeer to boiling than simmering, it will harden the outside of the egg.

Another method used for coddling eggs involves the use of a special porcelain dish with a screw top, which is referred to as an Egg Coddling Dish or Egg Coddler. The egg shell is broken and the contents are dropped into the dish, the cover is screwed on, and the dish is placed in a pan of heated water. When the cooking process is complete, the dish is removed from the water and is used to serve the egg. This method is much the same as a bain-marie except that an egg coddler is designed for one egg and with a bain-marie, an entire pan of eggs are placed into another pan of hot, simmering water.

When coddling eggs, the size of the egg and its temperature at the start of the cooking process will affect the cooking time. An extra large egg taken directly from the refrigerator will require a lengthier cooking time while a medium egg that has been brought to room temperature before cooking will require less time.