Cooking with Kids: Baked eggs to make with junior chefs

Eggs are a really useful ingredient; you can make so many different things with them - they are also a good way to introduce younger family members to cooking

Pic: iStock

Eggs are a really useful ingredient; you can make so many different things with them. 

They are delicious poached for breakfast, as an omelette for lunch, or fried and served with chips for dinner. 

They are also the main ingredient in most cakes, the egg provides air that helps cakes to rise and become soft and bouncy to the touch.

Eggs are also a good way to introduce younger family members to cooking. 

There is great satisfaction in getting breakfast ready for your parent or another family member – with help of course. 

The baked eggs are a tasty and yet quite simple breakfast. 

The tomato dressing is optional, the eggs are lovely just served simply with toasted soldiers.

Baked Eggs

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Ask an adult to heat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 18 mins

Total Time

 28 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 eggs

• 2 tbsp cream

• 1 medium ripe tomato

• ¼ red chilli a small bunch of fresh coriander

• ½ lime

Method

1. Put two small ramakins on the countertop or table. You can crack two eggs directly into each, or if it seems easier you can crack them into a bowl and then gently pour them into each ramakin.

2. Pour a tablespoon of cream on top of the eggs in each ramakin. Season them with salt and pepper.

3. Ask an adult to help you put the two ramakins into the oven. Leave them in the oven for about 18 minutes and make sure the egg white is completely set before taking them out. An adult can help with this step.

4. While the eggs are baking you can make the tomato salsa to go on top. Ask an adult to help you cut the tomato into small little cubes. When this is done add a little salt and pepper.

5. Chop the red chilli into very small pieces and chop the coriander as well. Mix these into the tomato. You can add enough lime juice until it tastes good. You probably will not need all of the juice from the half a lime.

6. When the eggs have cooled down, so that you can safely touch them, add some of the salsa to the top and enjoy or serve to someone in your household.

Activity: Tough little eggs 

Eggs are much stronger than you would think. 

While they can crack easily when you hit the side of the shell against a bowl or saucepan when you are cooking, they are surprisingly difficult to break by crushing them in your hand. 

To try the experiment, take an uncooked egg, check it all over for any little cracks. 

If your egg is crack-free, take it in the palm of your hand and close your fingers around it. 

Now squeeze it hard and see if it breaks. It doesn’t break because of its unique shape and smooth curves.