Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dippy egg - urgent

109 replies

fluffyblanky · 01/02/2025 12:24

Hey! This is not aibu. Sorry posting for quick traffic

My daughter is poorly and has just asked for a dippy egg and soldiers but I can't remember how long to cook the eggs, google gives to many answers !!

I am boiling the water as we speak ! Help !

OP posts:
Loloj · 01/02/2025 14:08

Oh I fancy a dippy egg now!

ElleneAsanto · 01/02/2025 14:09

I’ve been told the reason they sometimes crack is because the air pocket inside the egg expands too quickly when you put it straight into boiling water too fast. So lower them in slowly.

Piggywaspushed · 01/02/2025 14:09

I just say boiled egg!

I decided to have eggs recently as I am fussy eater and fancied comfort food with some actual nutrition.

One came out hard boiled. Then I refused time and they were raw. Not sure where the expression 'can't even boil an egg ' comes from!

Mine were Waitrose Very Large eggs, from the fridge .

Piggywaspushed · 01/02/2025 14:10

Reduced not refused time. That would be very unwise.

Words · 01/02/2025 14:19

You keep eggs in the fridge?Shock

Nanny0gg · 01/02/2025 14:22

Words · 01/02/2025 14:19

You keep eggs in the fridge?Shock

My question too!

If you buy something sold ambient (not refrigerated or frozen) why would you keep it in the fridge?

chargeitup · 01/02/2025 14:22

valerieee · 01/02/2025 12:26

I boil the kettle then put the water in a pan with the heat on, splash of vinegar and lower the eggs in slowly on a spoon, so they don't crack. Then set a timer for 6-7 mins and they come out dippy

I don't understand this 'slowly' thing. Whether the egg is lowered slowly or popped in it's not going to make any difference unless by slowly you mean you hold it hovering over the water and then lower it mm by mm into the water.

The water's boiling. If you are putting it in boiling water it won't make a blind bit of difference if you are doing it over 3 seconds or 1 second

chargeitup · 01/02/2025 14:23

HurdyGurdy19 · 01/02/2025 12:28

In the airfryer, 7 minutes at 170 😁

Do you prick it?

Words · 01/02/2025 14:24

Four mins here for an average size. I have one of those pebble things that change colour .Or I did until I moved house and mislaid it.

A six minute egg will not have a runny yolk (bitter disappointment) unless it was absolutely huge. Or almost frozen.

Piggywaspushed · 01/02/2025 14:24

Nanny0gg · 01/02/2025 14:22

My question too!

If you buy something sold ambient (not refrigerated or frozen) why would you keep it in the fridge?

Show quote history

a) my mother is American so everything goes in the fridge by habit
b) I don't have space on my sides for more crap.
c) they keep longer. We don't go through a huge number of eggs
d) my fridge has an egg rack, so it can't be that unsual!

rainbowunicorn · 01/02/2025 14:26

Caplin · 01/02/2025 13:26

Am I the only one surprised by how many people keep eggs in the fridge?

In the supermarket they are on the shelf, not the fridge. It is only American eggs that go in the fridge because they are chlorine washed which takes a layer of shell off so they go off faster.

Fridge cold eggs would be a pain for baking and timing boiled and poached eggs.

Yes, this always surprises me. I have never kept eggs in the fridge. Nobody that I know does.

MyCatNamedCookingFat · 01/02/2025 14:30

Caplin · 01/02/2025 13:26

Am I the only one surprised by how many people keep eggs in the fridge?

In the supermarket they are on the shelf, not the fridge. It is only American eggs that go in the fridge because they are chlorine washed which takes a layer of shell off so they go off faster.

Fridge cold eggs would be a pain for baking and timing boiled and poached eggs.

Temperature in supermarkets is controlled. With central heating house temperature can vary. That's why we are advised to keep eggs in fridge.

Fawn87 · 01/02/2025 14:31

6 mins on 190 in the air fryer makes perfect dippy eggs. If they are large farm eggs I give them an extra 30 seconds.

AllTheChaos · 01/02/2025 14:32

ApolloandDaphne · 01/02/2025 12:26

I put a fridge cold egg into boiling water for 6 minutes and it seems to work. The whole 3 minutes for a boiled egg must be a different method because experience tells me that leads to a raw horrible mess of an egg.

Ah in the uk eggs don’t need to be kept in the fridge. I guess an American guide would be 6 mins whereas the uk guide is 3?!

Pinkywoo · 01/02/2025 14:32

BashfulClam · 01/02/2025 12:27

I do 3 minutes but I put the egg into cold water and bring it to the boil in the water. Once boiling rapidly it’s three minutes.

Show quote history

Same, it's less likely to crack this way too.

Pixie2015 · 01/02/2025 14:32

8 mins 180 degrees air fryer

AllTheChaos · 01/02/2025 14:33

MyCatNamedCookingFat · 01/02/2025 14:30

Temperature in supermarkets is controlled. With central heating house temperature can vary. That's why we are advised to keep eggs in fridge.

Show quote history

Not the advice in the UK though! It is in places where eggs are washed before selling due to the conditions chickens are kept in, like the US

AllTheChaos · 01/02/2025 14:35

ElleneAsanto · 01/02/2025 14:09

I’ve been told the reason they sometimes crack is because the air pocket inside the egg expands too quickly when you put it straight into boiling water too fast. So lower them in slowly.

Oh interesting! I had no idea why they sometimes cracked, will try to remember this! Tha k you!

LetsGoOverThere · 01/02/2025 14:37

Eggs vary in weight a lot. I use an online egg boiling calculator and weigh each egg. It means my eggs are perfect every single time.

The one I usually use OMNI calculator. You give the weight, temperature and, if relevant, the altitude and it gives you the exact time.

RobertaFirmino · 01/02/2025 14:38

CatsMagic · 01/02/2025 12:30

To cook a Soft boiled egg put room temp egg in a pan of cold water, bring to rolling boil then simmer for 3 mins.

Not relevant I know -but “dippy” egg gives me the same rage as “picky bits” - just stop it !

I'm with you on this - DE is fine for a small child but when an adult is talking to other adults it is dreadful.

That aside, would it not have been quicker to Google 'soft boiled egg delia' for a definitive answer?

Words · 01/02/2025 14:38

I've got a Victorian egg house I found in a junk - sorry, antique- shop - a specially designed small cupboard with two shelves which have circles to rest the eggs in. You attach it to a wall so no issues with ' too much stuff on the side'. Similar to the meat larders you occasionally see.

I suppose adding vinegar to the water might help the white solidify if the eggs break, but generally that's something you do when poaching eggs.

Not convinced refrigeration will extend the life as British eggs are not chlorine washed as in the US; but happy to be corrected.

My main issue is I have ridiculously sensitive finger tips and find it hard to slice the lid off! Can't manage with a tea towel etc. Ideas welcome!

Words · 01/02/2025 14:42

Gosh I had never thought of taking my altitude into account when boiling an egg!

caringcarer · 01/02/2025 14:44

SantaToSSD · 01/02/2025 12:27

5 mins straight into boiling water. That's a large egg from the fridge.

This is exactly what I do boil kettle first then 5 mins lowered in carefully on a large spoon so it doesn't break.

caringcarer · 01/02/2025 14:46

Nellieinthebarn · 01/02/2025 13:04

If the egg is a bit over done you can always do an eggy cup instead. Just peel your egg, mash it with butter and a bit of salt, and serve in a cup with toast. I suspect eggy cup was invented for this situation.

Nowhere near as nice as a dippy egg though.

stampin · 01/02/2025 14:47

Put eggs in water, then always pour some salt on. It seals any cracks immediately, even large, open cracks.