Easter Eggs en Cocotte (Printer-Friendly)

Creamy herbed eggs baked in ramekins with parmesan and chives, finished in a gentle water bath for soft yolks.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (for greasing and dotting)
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

→ Eggs

04 - 8 large eggs

→ Herbs & Seasonings

05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

09 - Extra chives or parsley, finely chopped

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a kettle of water on to boil.
02 - Grease 4 ramekins (6-ounce/175 ml capacity) with butter.
03 - Pour 2 tablespoons of cream into the bottom of each ramekin.
04 - Sprinkle half of the herbs and a little parmesan over the cream in each ramekin.
05 - Carefully crack 2 eggs into each ramekin, keeping yolks intact.
06 - Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then top with remaining herbs and parmesan. Dot each with a small piece of butter.
07 - Place ramekins in a deep baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until egg whites are just set and yolks are still soft (add 2–3 minutes for firmer yolks).
09 - Remove ramekins from the water bath. Let stand 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of silky cream and soft eggs makes this the sort of brunch dish you dream about, but it's deceptively simple to prepare.
  • Customizing with different herbs or cheeses means it never gets boring and always feels fresh.
02 -
  • If you rush and skip the water bath, the eggs cook unevenly and the texture turns rubbery instead of creamy.
  • Letting the ramekins rest for a couple of minutes after baking gives the eggs a chance to finish setting for that perfect spoonful.
03 -
  • If you want to prep ahead, you can assemble the ramekins without eggs, refrigerate with plastic wrap, then add eggs and bake when ready to serve.
  • A small offset spatula is the secret to loosening the eggs from the ramekin perfectly, keeping them whole and beautiful.
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