Is there a way i can hard boil an egg that ensures it doesn't crack?!

[tassisssss]

Any top tips please?

I only have one and my lovely 3 year old needs to take it to nursery tomorrow.

Put it in cold water and heat, rather than place into boiling water?

Don't keep it in the fridge and then put it directly into hot water. For a hard-boiled egg (presumably for decorating rather than eating) just put it into cold and heat it up. Put a spoonful of salt in as well - won't stop it cracking but will seal up any hairline cracks.

Were they ^^ right?

Pierce the flattish end of the shell with an egg-pick or a needle first. This lets the bubble of air escape which then can't expand and crack in the heat. Cooking from cold also helps.

Well, in all my years in this world, I never had heard of an egg-pick.

Hope it worked out all right, OP.

You've got to have one now.... go on.... go on..... :)

Must... resist... gadgets...

Add a little vinegar to the water, having pricked the blunt end before putting in the water.

What would that do?

Vinegar helps poached eggs set in the water - although I never use it myself - so maybe the theory is that it can set the white through the shell or, if there is a small crack, the white doesn't get into the water. Salt in the water, however, increases the boiling point slightly.

The secret to the perfect boiled egg is... don't boil it! You'll end up with rubbery whites or undercooked yolks. Instead, put your egg in a pan of cold water, bring up to the boil, and, the moment it starts boiling, take it off the heat and leave in the pan for six minutes. The residual heat will cook it gently, leaving the yolk nicely cooked, but runny.

Just extend the time for hard boilled