How to Boil Eggs Precisely for Easter, More Tips

Here comes Peter Cottontail. Easter eggs — blue, green, red, yellow and purple are the classics — are a fun tradition that bring together cooking, crafts, adventures and treats.

Cooking:

To boil eggs to the ideal temperature, start by placing the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. This will prevent the eggs from cracking because the temperature of the cold eggs will rise as the water temperature goes up.

Elise Bauer, of Simply Recipes, recommends adding a little vinegar to the water.

There is no need to blast the burner on the eggs. A rapid boil makes the water choppy, and the eggs might crack by bouncing into each other or the bottom of the pan. An even, medium boil is the desired effect.

Bring the water up to a medium boil and cook them for approximately 7 minutes with the lid partially covering the pan.

Then, close the lid, turn off the heat, and let the eggs continue cooking with the burner turned off for approximately 6 minutes.

When it’s time, pour out the hot water, and pour cold water onto the eggs.

After they have cooled enough, roll the eggs on a hard, flat surface, and crack the shell into small pieces, so it almost looks like a cobblestone road.

Then, while holding the egg under running water, peel away the shell.

For an alternative cooking method, celebrity chef Alton Brown recommends steaming the eggs. Brown also gives tips for purchasing and storing eggs.

Decorating:

Paas brand Easter egg dyes are popular for decorating. Some Easter egg decorating tips including taping eggs, making egg place settings and an Easter egg centerpiece, how to decorate a cracked egg and more are posted on Paas' website. For more design inspiration, check out Paas’ Pinterest page.

Where to Buy Eggs in Des Plaines:

Dominick’s

• 1555 Lee St. in Des Plaines
• 847-299-5550

Jewel-Osco

• 819 Elmhurst Road in Des Plaines
• 847-956-1220

Joe Caputo & Sons Fruit Market

• 959 E Oakton St. in Des Plaines
• 847-827-6700

Shop ‘n Save

• 18 Metropolitan Way in Des Plaines
• 847-227-5800

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