Hard-Cooked 101: Teach Your Kids How to Hard-Cook Eggs

Hard-cooked eggs can be a great tool to use to teach kids basic cooking skills. Their nutritional value and creative potential makes them a perfect choice to have in the fridge when hunger strikes.  Try creating you own variation like these Easter Egg Flowers.

How to hard-cook eggs: Click here to watch YouTube video.

1. Place cold eggs in a single layer in a saucepan.
2. Fill the saucepan so the eggs are covered with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of cold water.
3. Bring the water to a boil over high heat (with lid on or off, as you wish). When the water reaches a boil, immediately cover the saucepan and remove it from the heat to stop water from boiling further.
4.  Let the eggs stand in the water, covered for 18 to 23 minutes (depending on the size of the egg).
5. Be sure to set a timer so you don’t forget about the eggs. When the timer rings, immediately drain off the water and run cold water over the eggs until they feel cool to the touch.

How to peel a hard-cooked egg: To easily peel a hard-cooked egg, first crackle the egg all over by tapping it on a hard surface. Roll the egg between your hands to loosen the shell. Start peeling at the large end of the egg. To help remove the shell, try holding the egg under cold running water or dip it in a bowl of water while peeling.

Is an egg raw or cooked? How to tell without cracking it open. To determine if an egg in the shell is cooked or raw, try spinning it. A hard-cooked egg with spin smoothly and rapidly while a raw egg will wobble because of its liquid centre. So you don't have to wonder each time, mark the cooked eggs with an x or cook them in water to which you’ve added a few drops of food colouring. Or, store them in a separate container in the fridge. Now you know all the secrets! Feel free to pass them on.

Did you know:

1. Two large eggs are the equivalent of a full serving of protein! 
2. They've got healthy fats in them. Certain vitamins are absorbed into our bodies through healthy fats. The vitamins and fats found in eggs work hand in hand to ensure your body is getting maximum nutrition.
3. They're rich in choline which is important for brain development. This makes eggs an excellent choice for young children.
4. They'll help give you a lustrous mane and chip-resistant nails! They're so abundant in biotin that two large eggs have well over the daily recommended amount your body needs.