Soft boiled eggs!

[Isabe11e]

I feel a bit silly asking this, but how do you make the perfect soft boiled egg? I mean with a runny yolk and perfectly cooked white... I always over or under cook. Any tips?

Eggs in a small pan, never a big pan for this method. Put them in cold water, high heat on until water starts to boil.
Once boiling, timer on for 3 minutes and turn the heat down a bit.
Voila, perfect eggs!!

I use a small pot, get the water to a gentle boil, lower eggs in, 5 minutes. Perfect.

Ooh! So many replies! Thanks. I think I've been cooking for wayyy too long! Around 6 minutes! Does anyone pierce the bottom with a pin to stop them cracking?

@PatriciaPerch

remove the top of the eggs, not your own top...well unless you want to

Lol PatriciaPerch!

Same as @BeeyatchPlease

Boiling water, lower to a rapid simmer then eggs in for 5 mins

I do:

• Bring pan water to boil

• Put eggs in

• Boil for 1 minute

• Turn heat off, put lid on pan, timer 5 minutes (6 for really massive eggs)

Eggs come out really nice. Soft yolk, white firm-ish but cooked.

Get the water boiling in a small pan (I add a bit of salt), lower temperature so it's simmering, lower eggs in carefully with a spoon (I have them at room temperature), simmer for 4 and a half minutes, remove immediately to eggcups and eat. This gives me eggs where the white is set but the yolk is half set, half runny, which is what I like. Very disappointing to get a soft-boiled egg that isn't exactly how you like it! It possibly makes a difference how big the egg is. Mine would usually be medium rather than large.

I've got an electric egg cooker. Does soft, medium and hard boiled. I never manage to cook them properly in a pan.

@NastyBlouse

I do:

• Bring pan water to boil

• Put eggs in

• Boil for 1 minute

• Turn heat off, put lid on pan, timer 5 minutes (6 for really massive eggs)

Eggs come out really nice. Soft yolk, white firm-ish but cooked.

Thanks NastyBlouse... I think that is Delia Smith's method, right? I have a gas hob - would it work? Or do you need the residual heat from an electric ring?

@Isabe11e Yes, I believe it is Delia’s. Not sure about gas (I’ve always had electric or convection) but I’m fairly certain it would work.

Boiling water
Egg from the fridge (yes I know) put gently in, 4 mins 45, turn up the heat to maintain a gentle boil after the egg goes in, take out immediately and into egg cup when the timer goes off. Perfect dippy yolk.

You need one of these no faffing

You cant its impossible they are either under cooked with snotty white or over cooked with hard yolk.

I do the Delia method with gas hobs and it's perfect, absolutely spot on every time. Don't need any residual heat!

I do the delia method on a gas hob - perfect every time!
Also, when you take the eggs out, put them straight into a bowl of cold water for a few seconds, to stop them continuing to cook.

Top tips everyone! Thanks :-)