This fussy-sounding egg dish is anything but! John Pitblado, who expertly teaches our Egg Technique class, always mentions that these eggs can be baked in a mug, canning jar or ramekin and that it’s easy to double, triple or quadruple the recipe for your growing brunch crowds. You can assemble these ahead of time and keep them on a tray in the fridge; once you bake them, they should be eating rather quickly to prevent setting too much in their vessels. Use good-quality heavy cream and plenty of cheese!
Ingredients
4Eggs
1/4cupHeavy creamwe love using Humboldt
1/2tspKosher salt
PinchGround black pepper
1/4cupGrated Gruyere cheesethough Swiss and Feta work well, too
1TbspMinced shallots
2-3sprigsfresh thyme
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease four 4-inch ramekins with a touch of vegetable or olive oil.
Whisk the heavy cream with the salt and pepper. Crack each egg into a ramekin, and pour 1 tablespoon of cream onto each egg. Sprinkle the cheese, shallots and a few thyme leaves onto each egg.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (7 for a very runny yolk, 10 for a firmer yolk), until the egg is 'set' to your preference. Serve immediately with toast soldiers. Eggs will continue to set up as you eat, so get them to the table as soon as possible.
Make shirred eggs on a larger scale with many eggs in a big casserole dish. Cooking times may need a little adjustment, but they're a great idea for a weekend brunch.