Once you start making these classic French egg delights, you won’t stop. One of the best egg breakfasts you can make due to its versatility, and it can be made in 20 minutes. Many believe Eggs in Cocotte are complicated to master, yet they are easier than you think. They are also known as Baked Eggs, Shirred Eggs, and Oeufs in Cocottes.

The goal being that the whites are cooked through, and the yolks remains flowing. You can however cook to your taste if you prefer less runny yolks. To achieve cooked whites, it’s best to heat the cream to simmering point, then poured directly onto the whites. I also like to melt the cheese within the cream for smoothness.

There are different ways to cook cocotte eggs. There’s baking in the oven on low temperature, cooking in a in a bain-marie, and more surprisingly, and haphazardly, baking in the microwave. This recipe is the Bain-Marie style, cooked on stove top. If you prefer the oven, I suggest 265°F – 130C for 15 minutes on fan forced oven works best.

In this recipe, I made Oeufs En Cocotte in two basic ways. First with smoked ham and second with spinach. Both have cream and cheese. But there’s no limitations to the ingredients you use. You can add mushrooms, smoked salmon, truffles, goat cheese, tomato, etc. Garnish with chives or herbs and serve it with beautiful, toasted sourdough bread.